Oban Star Racers: The Truce at Destiny's End
by Sir Koji
Summary: One week after the end, a new conflict begins. A truce will be forged, and destiny shall be made.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Only one week has passed since destiny had been changed. A young man from Earth had been given the supreme power in the galaxy, and a young woman's family restored as full as it could be.

Problems in government on Earth have caused an emergency Presidential election to start during the Great Race of Oban. This has happened for next to unknown reasons, but William Vanel has had a large following.

A nearly unknown upstart, he's the favorite to win the election and increase foreign policy with alien races, especially after Oban, and especially to either ally against the Crogs, or find a way to ally with them to bring on peace.

His criticisms have been well noted, but the good outweighs the bad.

Now, as a mysterious pod is found floating in neutral space, destiny is about to be made once more.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Distress

In the bleak darkness of space came a fleeting crimson light. It belonged to a long cylindrical pod, not commonly used anymore. The technology was at least thirty years old.

An Earth shuttle approached with caution, it could be a trap, or worse.

The hiss of the connection came through the ship and it slowly stopped in space.

Airlocks opened and closed, allowing the canister passage into the main ship.

The crew slowly approached. Two crew members, two security guards with large energy weapons.

"Open it." One guard said, taking aim at it.

The crew member stood to the side and slowly tried to open it, but it wouldn't open.

"It needs a password." He said.

"We'll get it back to Earth to hack it." The other crew member said.

The guards stayed by it, "Go, fly us back." One said.

"Now?" The pilot, the first one there, asked.

"Yes now." The guard replied. He kicked it, "We don't know what this thing is."

"He lost." Don Wei said.

"Who did?" Eva asked. She had joined Wei Racing as a mechanic since Oban and was currently helping with new Star Racers.

"We have a new President." Don said, "This should be a joyous occasion, but I've never heard of this man."

"Who is he?" Eva asked. She didn't care much for politics, but she had done so much of her current work, any distraction from the tedious work would do.

"President William Vanel." Don replied. He kept reading, "He's already formed his Cabinet. Now this is odd, odd indeed…"

"What is?" She asked.

"It seems that this election came about due to Oban." Don replied, "And the Secretary of Defense is xenophobic, a deep hatred of aliens."

"So you think because of the Crogs this happened?" Eva asked.

"Maybe, but I never thought a xenophobic Secretary of Defense would be around in this day and age." Don replied, "I don't see this as ending well."

The shuttle returned to Earth and to the capital in a crash landing.

Security ran out and sprayed down the ship, putting down any fires while a rescue crew went in, searching for survivors.

The flames and smoke blocked their vision and made it a hard job to perform, but they soon found the crew. They were dead.

The crew kept searching for any survivors, eventually finding the sealed cockpit. One pulled out an axe and lifted it.

Another grabbed his arm, "One spark and this whole place could go up." He said through his helmet filter.

The worker lowered the axe and tried the door to show it locked, "Now what?"

The other worker removed a small multi tool, forcing one appendage into the lock, only resulting in an electric shock.

The shock travelled through the tool and into the body of the man, but the gas in the air ignited.

An explosion ripped through the cockpit area, killing the two and wounding other workers as they prepared to re-enter.

"Now what?" One asked.

Another was calling for more assistance, "The cockpit, get to it!"

The first ran in, the door was blown open. He ran in and found the captain alive, just barely. He grabbed the limp body and ran out. One survivor was better than none.

Another group of rescue workers ran down to help, soon followed by more security. The security was an odd sight, but soon, President Vanel followed. He was an average sized man with trimmed black hair and a good looking body.

"Report." Vanel said.

"One survivor, two dead rescue workers. Death count in total is 13." One worker replied.

"Continue." Vanel said.

The worker saluted and went back to work.

"What happened to the ship?" He asked a security officer.

"Apparently fuel loss caused their return to be…bumpy…and they crashed." A guard said.

"Loss of fuel?" Vanel asked.

"Part of the former President's policy." The guard replied, "Keep only enough fuel for the ship to make its desired run and return, and sparse extra amounts to account for changes in weather."

"I'll correct that." Vanel said, "But where did they lose fuel?"

"Apparently they lost fuel picking up an object." Another guard replied. He had been there since the start, "They picked up an object, and its weight followed by their stop to get it drove them to death."

"What sort of object?" Vanel asked.

"We're recovering it as we speak." The guard replied.

"Whatever it is." Vanel said as he looked back to the flaming metal heap, "It had better have been worth it."

Prince Aikka smiled and waved to the crowds of Nourasians. He had been greeted as a hero of war after the Crogs had been defeated and the Great Race won from them and the power they could have obtained.

All he wanted to do was get home and see his parents. His father was in failing health and he had only just returned to Nourasia from Oban. It had been a longer trip than planned, but he was only happy to be home once more.

The congregation stopped and he stepped down from the throne he was carried on. He walked slowly towards the palace doors and watched as they closed behind him, cutting him off from the roaring crowds.

He slumped against a wall. He was tired and was starting to feel ill.

A servant ran up to him and slipped him a note before running off again.

He sighed and broke the seal on the letter, sliding the note out of it. He read the lines slowly, letting it all sink it before he put the letter back in the envelope and put it on his belt.

He walked deeper into the castle. Before he could see his father there was another matter to attend to. His bride had been chosen.

Nourasian culture was based on arranged marriage for the nobles and those who were royalty. He had the option to see women beforehand, but chose not to. He didn't particularly care for this part of their culture, but didn't oppose it enough not to submit to it.

He stopped at a chamber near his own and knocked on the wooden door. He waited, only wondering who could have been chosen for him by his father's advisers.

The door slowly opened to reveal a young woman with long silver hair in an elegant white dress standing before him.

She ran into his arms and he was left in disbelief, "Luna?"

She smiled and pulled back so she could look him in the eyes, "Yes, I was chosen."

She was his childhood friend, probably one of his closest, if not closest, friend from childhood.

"I can't believe that after all these years we're going to be married." She said softly.

He smiled, "Neither can I."

The cylinder was brought into a war room inside the capital building. It was heavily guarded by security guards, just as guarded as President Vanel.

"Can you hack it?" Vanel asked a hacker who was brought in.

The man was a government hacker. He crouched before the cylinder, typing in codes on the cylinder and the laptop sitting beside him, "Probably, but no luck yet." He laughed, "This may be old technology, but the encryption is top notch."

"What do you think that means?" Vanel asked.

"I wouldn't know." The hacker replied. He looked at the monitor and punched in another code, bringing up more numbers and values on the laptop, "Got it." He pressed in the code of "5439082" and pressed "Enter".

There was a hiss and acrid air came from within the cylinder. It was the size of a coffin and contained a shelf inside with a small cylindrical data disk.

"It's old." The hacker said as he looked it over.

"Do you know what can play it?" Vanel asked.

He kept turning it over and put it into the laptop, scanning it, "No." He simply said.

Another set of footsteps was heard and another set of armored men entered. Each was armed with one of the energy blasters and a sidearm.

"Nice of you to finally join us Thomas." Vanel said.

An older man with graying hair and a mustache came out from between the guards. He ignored policy and carried his own sidearm for defensive purposes, "President Vanel, what has been learned?"

"Nothing as of yet Secretary Nereus." Vanel replied.

The hacker stood up, turning the disk over in his hands, "Give me one day, I can figure it out."

Vanel nodded, "If you need the time, take it."

"Thank you Mr. President." The hacker said and saluted to both Vanel and Nereus before he walked out of the room.

"I should go." Nereus said, his eyes slowly following the hacker, but indiscreetly.

"You're dismissed." Vanel said.

Nereus saluted and left without his escort.

He followed the hacker from a distance, following him to a private room.

He waited for a few minutes, and the hacker came back out.

"Did you learn anything?" Nereus asked.

The hacker hadn't seen him there and was startled, "Yes." He saluted.

"What have you learned?" Nereus asked.

"I haven't accessed it yet, but I do know what we need." He replied.

"Tell me." Nereus said.

"An old C-Type Holoprojector." The hacker replied.

Nereus nodded and let the hacker walk back down the hall. Nereus reached down and drew his silenced sidearm. He took aim and fired, lowering the gun as the body fell.

"There's only one way for me to make it to the top." He walked over and claimed the disk, "So you must die."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Fleeting Cry

Nereus brought the data disk back in, "Sir, a C-Type Holoprojector is needed." He said, saluting to Vanel.

"Where's…"

"He left." Nereus said, "He decided to retire early for the night, to spend more time with his family."

Vanel nodded, accepting that as truth. He took the data disk, "Let's go." He started moving, his guards following him out.

Nereus had removed the body and disposed of it where no one would find it. He followed to the war room where the old projector was brought into.

He slid the data disk in and watched as it played. A blue flicker appeared and formed into a humanoid form.

"A Crog!" Nereus yelled, "We intercepted one of their messages!"

The image started to speak, but the voice was cracking, "Fix the wavelength." Vanel said.

A worker started turning knobs, fixing the frequency and wavelength, removing the static and allowing the message to play freely.

The image was a Crog, apparently a Lieutenant, if such a rank existed within the Crog ranks. The image was full of static, despite what they could do, but it was a seemingly high ranking Crog, no doubt about it. He was calling for help.

"Crog Imperium, we request immediate assistance! We are at the Crog controlled planet of Emproga, we've been overrun! Requesting backup now!" The image slowly started to flicker, and then was gone.

"The Crogs are in danger?" Nereus laughed.

"Emproga." Vanel said, "That sounds familiar." He looked at one of his officers, "Where's Emproga?"

"It's on the edge of the known universe." His officer reported, "Beyond that there's nothing that we know of, nothing except stars, unless there's more, we don't know."

"And what do we know specifically about Emproga?" Vanel asked.

Another officer saluted and spoke, "My brother is over there. He's told me it's a small settlement that's expanded over the years into a nearly planetary system. It's a damp planet with exotic plants and flora, but apparently the Crogs had taken it in the past years." He took another breath, "It's been called "Destiny's End" since it's at the end of known space."

"So what should we do?" Vanel asked, directing the question at Nereus.

"In my opinion, as Secretary of Defense, we don't get involved." Nereus said, "We don't help the Crogs, whatever's attacking, or our own colonists."

Vanel looked at him, "No, we're going."

"But Mr. President!"

"No, we're sending some men. Not a lot, but enough forces to help. Maybe we can even win some Crogs over to our side." He shrugged, "But we're going to send some men at least, to help our colonists at the very least."

Nereus was about to speak against the plan, but Vanel continued.

"You have no say in this Nereus; all I asked you for was an opinion, not a definitive answer on what we will do."

"So you're going to launch this defense?" Nereus asked, "What if the Crogs attack you?"

"They need help, so either they'll accept it," he started, "or we join with the other side and help stop the Crogs."

The guards moved back around Vanel as he started out the door. Nereus turned to watch him leave, and then left on his own.

Don Wei came back into the hangers after receiving a phone call. "Everybody, we have a new contract!"

The workers slowly stopped. Some talked about it; some seemed upset, thinking layoffs may ensue.

"What's this for?" Eva asked.

"The military." Don replied.

"What does the military want with us?" A mechanic asked.

"They want us to make new ships to be armed and shipped off for combat purposes." Don said, "I know this is different than what we usually do, but get back to work on the following hanger models: Hangers A, C, I and K."

The workers went back to work, "What about the rest of us?" A worker from Hanger B asked.

"Go study blue prints and join others." Don said and walked back to his office.

Eva watched them go and ran after Don, going into his office behind her father.

He was reading through some files, "Yes Eva?"

"What does the military's purpose for our ships?" She asked. She closed the door behind her and sat down.

He sighed, "I'll tell you all I know. There's a place referred to as "Destiny's End", the edge of the known galaxy, a planet called Emproga. The Crogs are under fire on our colony that they took. We're going to help, try to win over supporters."

"The Crogs?" Eva asked, "Why are we helping them?"

"Like I said…"

"To win support? How?" She demanded.

"I…I don't know." He replied, "It's under orders of President Vanel."

After a few moments of silence she asked, "Are you going?"

"I am." He simply replied.

"Then I'm coming too."

"No Eva, that's out of the question!" He snapped.

"Please, let me come!" She yelled, "If you're going, let me!"

He closed his eyes, thinking. "Fine, but you're coming with the mechanics. You'll stay on the planet and help with repairs."

She smiled and stood up, "Thank you dad."

Aikka left Luna's chambers and moved swiftly down the hall, looking at the newly renumbered doors for the new medical chambers. He hadn't been in that part of the castle in a long time, and after it was repaired since the Crogs fled, he didn't know where to go anymore.

He stopped at a door and opened it, peeking in, seeing only wounded Nourasian knights from the recent revolt against the Crogs. He closed the door and went to the next rooms. There were only twenty medical chambers; it shouldn't take him too long to search.

Soon he had searched each chamber, and was down to the last.

"A bit clichéd, but I guess I found you at least." Aikka said. He opened the door, but it was empty.

"What?" He demanded.

A Nourasian medic ran down the halls, "Prince Aikka, what are you doing here?"

Aikka turned to him, "Looking for my father. Where is he?" He demanded.

"That's why I'm here." The medic said, "Please, come with me."

"What is it?" He demanded.

"Please, time is of the essence!" The medic snapped and ran down another hallway.

Aikka ran after him. The palace had some remodeling done, but he didn't know why they would be down here, or what would be down here. It was previously the morgue…

"No." He muttered. He stopped and looked down, tears rolled down his cheeks, "This is still the morgue, isn't it?" He still felt the familiar cold feel of the morgue and the foreboding sense.

"I'm sorry Prince Aikka." The medic said, "He died an hour before you arrived."

Aikka collapsed where he stood. More tears rolled down his cheeks, yet he had a strange relief in knowing there was nothing he could do to get there sooner, that talking to Luna, nor the crowds outside, had stopped him from arriving in time.

Oban.

Avatar Jordan hadn't learned much in his week of being Avatar, but he still felt the tremendous universal strain coming from the planet of Emproga. He felt the Crogs fighting to defend their holdings, the humans allying with the Crogs for defense, but putting up little help after the Crogs had crushed them in an invasion years before.

He still felt a third and mysterious presence, one he didn't understand.

He sighed and floated into his throne, "Creators!"

One of the blue beings floated before him, "What is it Avatar?"

"What is this feeling?"

"At Destiny's End?" The Creator asked, "Even I don't know."

Jordan rose, partially in outrage, partially in question, "How don't you know? What is this?"

"It's something beyond our control, beyond our abilities to know." The Creator answered, "It's beyond this universe."

"How can it be beyond this universe?" Jordan demanded.

"Our universe ends with destiny." The Creator answered, "The planet named Emproga. Destiny's End is the end of the universe that we created; anything we don't know about wouldn't be from our creations. It could be a result of something else we created, or it could be something from another universe."

Jordan sat back down. His normal form had been restored, but that was almost all the power he had. He could do nothing. He had to rely on the universe and its beings to help.

Nereus pulled on tight fitting black leather gloves and walked back down to the war room. By this point there would be projections set up based on their last known data of Emproga.

He walked in to see various levels of military standing there, commanders, lieutenants and others.

"Any plans yet?" Nereus asked.

"Not until we learn of the exact situation on Emproga, and who we'll be accepted by." A commander said.

"I see." Nereus replied, "Shall I be accompanying you on this mission?"

"No, it's important you stay on Earth." The only General there said. He looked to Nereus, "You know what to do." His eyes were saying.

The General was in league with Nereus. He had a deep hatred of aliens as well; both of them had ties to the Crogs from slaughtered family. Both of them wanted a similar result, and were secretly working together. The General would be heading out to ensure the best possible outcome: the death of the Crogs and any other aliens at Emproga.

President Vanel walked in with his escort of guards, "Ok. Is everything ready?" Vanel asked.

"Our ships are ready as are the Wei Racing ships." The General replied, "They're currently being outfitted with weapons. The Wei mechanics and our soldiers are being brought together."

"Excellent." Vanel said, "Are all of you ready?"

"We are." The General answered.

The President saluted, "Good luck men." He walked out with his escort.

Nereus walked out, his plans would proceed as predicted. Vanel was none the wiser.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: To Emproga

The military outpost was bustling.

Soldiers were hurrying about their business, mechanics and other crew were being filed in.

Eva stayed with the mechanics, that was where she was to stay, that was her job. She watched as Don went with soldiers. After being a racing manager and helping to win at Oban, he was being taken elsewhere, he would have actual military operations to complete, likely strategic or morale building work.

She looked around at the ships being taken. Not many men or ships were being taken, compared to the actual military amount, but she figured they didn't want a full invasion on such an out of the way planet.

"Eva!"

She turned to see Stan and Koji pushing through the lines of mechanics to get to her.

"Stan! Koji!" She ran back to meet them, "What are you two doing here?"

"What, you think that the two of us, being the great mechanics we are, wouldn't be called here?" Stan asked.

"I think Rick's also here." Koji said.

"Rick?" She asked excitedly.

"I guess when he came back to Earth; he started working as a mechanic." Koji said, "Either that, or military."

She looked around, "I'll try to find out." She ran from them, trying to get to Don.

Two armed guards stopped her, "No non military personal beyond this point." One said.

"I'm Eva Wei; I need to speak with my father Don Wei!" She said.

"It's regulation." The second guard said, "Now stand back."

Stan pulled her back, "We can find out later." He said.

She nodded slowly, "I guess so."

Stan pulled her back into line to wait with the other mechanics.

Don was brought to a secured room. It was heavily guarded, and for good reason. This was the war room, it had everything, all information, all suggested plans of action that the military had come up with, and every statistic they had.

Don took a seat and looked at the screens. His job was to take a look and make his own plans that he would be able to get the pilots to carry out, just like racing.

The door opened and someone walked in.

"I'd prefer not to be disturbed." Don said. He didn't look; he only paid attention to the monitors.

"What, no time for me?" A familiar voice asked.

Don turned around, "Rick?" He yelled, standing.

"Yeah, I joined the military." Rick replied, "They let me come in to see you since I know you so well."

Don sat down, "What do you think?"

"I actually haven't had time to look over yet." Rick said and sat down by him, "I'm here to help you with this. We leave in a few minutes."

"Ok. Let's figure out a plan then."

On Nourasia, Prince Aikka kneeled behind a marble slab. His father's body lay atop it. Candles burned all around in the cold marble room. They flickered eerie shadows onto the walls and did nothing for the cold.

Quiet footsteps entered and stopped as the person kneeled, making the sign of the cross, and stood up again.

"Luna, please, kneel with me." Aikka said quietly.

She walked over and kneeled beside him, "I'm sorry. I just found out." She whispered. Her beautiful voice was shaking as she spoke, as if her throat was raw from crying.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"How long have you been here?" She asked.

"Since I found out two hours ago." Aikka replied. He didn't take his eyes off the body. His wrists were raw from keeping them on the edge of the marble as he prayed. The only reason they weren't bleeding was because the marble was rounded at the edges.

She stayed quiet by his side, not wavering, even from the cold. She followed Aikka's example and remained still.

In moments her delicate wrists were sore and red, but she didn't complain.

"You don't have to stay if it hurts." Aikka said quietly.

"It's ok, I can handle it. And besides, I want to stay here, with you, for the remainder of the twenty four hours." She bit her tongue and put up with the pain.

She could hear Aikka, as if he was trying to say something, but couldn't find the words.

"Thank you."

Nereus paced back and forth, his hands clasped behind his back. He was told that the shuttle would soon depart to Emproga for the Earth's possibly diplomatic mission to assist either the Crogs—something Nereus couldn't understand—or to help whatever the other force is.

He heard another set of footsteps and turned to salute down the hallway as Vanel came into view.

"Are preparations completed Sir?" Nereus asked in his stiff, military style voice.

"They are." Vanel replied and walked past, "Let's go watch the shuttle depart for the mission." He said, still looking straight ahead.

Nereus walked after him in long military strides from his previous life. He followed closely behind.

Vanel opened a side door, stepping into a room full of monitors, "Enter Nereus." He said, flicking the lights on.

Nereus entered, "We're watching from here?" He asked.

Vanel triggered a few screens, showing everything, "We are."

The Earth shuttles consisted of three large cruisers and four smaller cruisers. Within the larger cruisers resided the Wei and other crafts, supplies in general, such as weapons and munitions, and some crew, most of whom were spread between the seven ships.

The captain in the flagship, the _Crashing Blade, _set up the ship for departure, "Link up to my computer systems." He said through the broadcast systems, setting his coordinates.

The other six ships linked up, and as the _Crashing Blade_ took off, they followed, using interplanetary travel systems to leave the Earth behind in a blink of light.

"How long?" Nereus asked.

"They'll reach Nourasia in about a day. That's their landmark. After they see it, they use double the speed, double the fuel, and reach Emproga in a matter of hours." Vanel replied.

"Why not just speed there?" Nereus asked.

"Conserve fuel." He answered, "We may not be sending a full army, but we still have to conserve our space, and using fuel like this will do that for us."

"You're sounding like our old President." Nereus muttered.

Vanel shot him a look, "Only for this matter." He replied.

Nereus nodded and shifted his attention back to the monitors.

Eva walked through the crowded corridors, carrying a small duffel bag of her possessions. She found the grey door that was hers, and fumbled with the lock, trying to insert the key card.

The door slid open with a hiss to reveal the small quarters. Three rough looking beds affixed to the steel walls, and in the corner was another door, leading likely to a bathroom.

"I have to share a room?" She muttered, "But I'm the only girl here!"

The door opened again and she turned to look at who came in, probably her roommates.

She smiled, "Stan, Koji!"

"Your dad figured you'd feel better with people you know sharing the room with you." Stan explained, "So he thought of us."

"Just like old times." Koji said.

"How long until we arrive?" Eva asked, she sat on a bed.

"Apparently about thirty hours." Stan replied.

"What do we do until then?" She asked.

"There's nothing to do unfortunately." Koji said, "The ships are ready, as are the arms for the soldiers. Nothing to do but wait."

Eva sighed, "This isn't going to be worth it if we have to wait so long."

Don and Rick looked over the strategies alongside the actual military officials.

"You see," Don said, pointing to the red space around the planet, where the hostiles could be located, "coming in from the south pole of the planet, as planned, isn't such a great idea."

"I see what you're saying." Rick said, "We go right in and broadcast our signal, and we help wherever it's needed. If we have to help the Crogs, we blast the invaders as we enter and help with a defensive web, sending anything we need to Emproga while keeping our other ships ready."

The General nodded, "Seems reasonable. We'll go for it."

Don and Rick stood up and saluted, "Dismissed." The General said.

The two walked out, speaking to each other.

"What do you think of General Salzor?" Don asked.

"I personally like him; I think he'll lead us to victory." Rick replied, "But that's just on the outside."

"What do you mean?" Don asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I know his type." Rick replied, "It took me a while, but I figured it out. I've met people like him in the past."

"And what type of person is he?" Don asked.

"One who follows orders blindly on the outside." Rick said, "But one who follows orders all too well, one that has his own agenda deep within, one you can't read, nor can you trust." He shrugged, "But then again, I could be wrong."

"I hope you are." Don replied.

General Salzor saluted and left the war room. His second in command was Colonel Robert Hadley. He was left in charge of the remaining officers in the room; his word was law on anything brought up while Salzor was away.

Salzor entered his private quarters. Although they were just as bare as the crew quarters, which didn't bother him, he had a way to contact Nereus.

He opened a suitcase he brought, revealing a monitor on the top, and controls on the bottom. It was to work on a long range transmitter, even able to reach from Emproga. He keyed in the password and waited.

A flicker came on screen and Nereus's image came up, "Yes General?"

"I'm prepared to act on your plans; everything is in place once we arrive."

"Good, kill anyone who resists." Nereus said.

"As shall you I trust?" He asked.

Nereus fingered his side arm, off screen, "I shall. And then I shall lead the Earth."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Alliance

Nereus ignored his bodyguards and walked through the halls. He knew McMillan, the former President, would still be around, still be taking care of things, and then he'd leave. Nereus knew he wasn't done yet, nor would he even finish.

Nereus opened the sliding door. McMillan turned to him, but before he could speak, Nereus shot him twice in the chest, once in the head.

He walked out, holstering his gun. He'd have someone come by shortly to remove the body, remove all traces of the murder. _Vanel, he thought, you really think you're in control? As soon as this is over, it'll become apparent who really controls this planet._

Aikka and Luna emerged from the chapel, their day had passed. Aikka showed little sign of fatigue, but Luna was another matter. She was half asleep as Aikka led her up the stairs from the low level chapel.

"Go to your chamber and rest." Aikka said softly.

She nodded and slipped her hand from his, walking away from him.

He watched her go and then kept walking. He had a few duties to do before he could sleep.

He walked into what the Crogs had used as a war room during their time on Nourasia. After Kross was killed, the Nourasians managed to stage a coup against the invading species. They managed to take the Crogs by surprise and expel them from Nourasia.

He stepped into the chamber; it still held some machines from the Crogs. They had yet to remove them, but Aikka wasn't sure he wanted them removed. The types of monitors were for interplanetary messages and the like.

He activated one to take a look at the Crog situation across the universe, it seemed most had retreated to Kramm, only some still lingered in open space. "Either Kramm or other Crog controlled planets." Aikka murmured.

He saw something appear on screen. They had yet to figure out the technology completely, but knew that red meant enemy of the Crogs. He figured it would be an ally to the Nourasians.

He managed to zoom in on the convoy of ships, recognizing them as Earth ships.

One Nourasian was in the room, working on figuring the technology out, "I need your help!" Aikka snapped.

He ran over, "How can I contact that ship?" Aikka asked.

On the Crashing Blade, the pilot received a message. "Bring it up." He said.

"Audio only." His co-pilot said.

"Bring it up." He replied.

Through a burst of static came the clear voice of Prince Aikka, "Earth ship, where are you heading to?"

"Who are you?" The pilot demanded.

"Prince Aikka of Nourasia." Aikka replied, "Now, I ask again, where is it your convoy is going?"

"I don't believe you." The pilot replied, "The Nourasians don't have any technology like this."

"The Crogs did, and they invaded Nourasia, remember?" Aikka asked.

The pilot hit a button, "Don Wei." He said.

In minutes Don was with him, "That's Prince Aikka." Don confirmed.

"Should I tell him?" The pilot asked.

Don pressed a button, "Prince Aikka, what a surprise!"

"Don Wei?" Aikka asked.

"It's me." He replied, "Why do you want to know where our convoy is going?"

"If there's trouble, I'd like to assist!"

Don looked at the pilot, "Tell the other pilots to go to Nourasia with us."

"We'll lose too much fuel!" The pilot yelled.

Don's eyes narrowed, "Aikka, is there fuel on your planet that we can use?"

"There is." Aikka replied, "Plenty from the Crogs invasion."

"See?" Don asked, "Now, take us down."

"General Salzor won't stand for this." The pilot said.

"I'm sure he'll be glad to have more soldiers." Don replied.

The pilot cursed under his breath and took the ship down; the other six ships followed him.

Aikka waited in an open field where the ships would land, just outside the Holy City of Dol.

The first ship came down, and Don ran out to meet him.

"Aikka, where's the fuel?" Don asked.

Aikka looked over his shoulder. Insects like G'dar were pulling carts of drums of fuel.

Soldiers came out from the ships, loading up the fuel in their dwindling space and refueling during their break on Nourasia.

"We have less than an hour to spend here." Salzor said. He walked out, he was angry at first, but then saw the Nourasians as another chance to prove his loyalty to Nereus. Not just helping to end aliens at Emproga, but the Nourasians as well, especially their prince.

Aikka nodded, "Don't worry, my men will be here and ready shortly."

The only ones outside were Don, Salzor, Aikka and a handful of soldiers. Eva wasn't there, nor did she know they had stopped at Nourasia. It would be Don's surprise to her that Aikka was joining them.

Soon a group of approximately one hundred Nourasians dressed in armor and wielding swords, some bows and arrows, and some pikes, emerged. They were followed by their steeds, bugs like G'dar.

Canaan approached Aikka, "We have one more wishing to come." He told Salzor.

"We don't have room." Salzor replied, "Unless he's worth a handful of soldiers."

"Not he." Canaan corrected, "And don't worry about space issues."

"A woman?" Salzor snorted, "What purpose would I have with a woman?"

Aikka was relieved and upset at the same time. He was hoping his friend, Molly, as he knew her, would be on the ship, also hoping not, so she'd be out of danger, but now, this confirmed that she was likely not there.

"Who's coming?" Aikka asked Canaan.

"You know." Canaan smiled.

"I forbid it!" Aikka exclaimed.

"She's not going to take that as an answer, you know that." Canaan replied.

"Who is it?" Don asked. He had since joined them after the Nourasians got on board.

"My fiancée, Luna." Aikka replied.

"Fiancée?" Don was a bit confused, "Aren't you a bit young?"

"Not for Nourasia." Aikka replied, "And I'm to be king soon anyway, so I need a wife."

"Enough talk." Salzor growled, "Time to go."

Aikka looked over his shoulder and saw Luna running to join them. "Luna, go back." Aikka ordered.

"I can't!" She exclaimed, "What if something happens to you? I want to be with you!"

"Prince Aikka, let her come." Canaan said, "I'll protect her with my life, don't worry."

Aikka reluctantly nodded, "Ok, but you're staying close to either myself, or Canaan."

She nodded and clung to his arm as he led her inside. "G'dar!"

The sapphire shelled beetle flew over and landed, walking in with him.

"The storage areas are full." Salzor explained to Don, "Those insects and the fuel have filled them up. We had to use our time to reorganize the whole place, stacking it all. We'd need men down there to keep it all stable, if it didn't fill the entire chambers."

"It's for the best, Sir." Don replied.

"I hope so." Salzor walked back into the Crashing Blade, followed closely by Don.

The quarters were even more crowded than before. The soldiers, formerly sharing rooms, three to a room, now had five to a room. The bathrooms gave no extra space; each bathroom was for multiple quarters, not one for each quarter.

Aikka, like the military leaders, and mechanics, weren't affected. Mechanics were on a different ship and away from the soldiers, and military leaders shared three to a room at the most. Aikka shared his room with Canaan and Luna.

"We could have another in here." Canaan said.

"How do you figure?" Aikka asked, he sat on a bed on the outer wall, "Unless someone doesn't want the little comfort there is."

"You and Lady Luna could share." Canaan said bluntly.

Luna blushed a deep red and remained silent on her bed, looking at the floor.

It took a moment for Aikka to find the words, "No Canaan, that won't be necessary."

He shrugged and laid on his bed.

"We just left." Aikka said.

"I'm old, I need rest." He replied. "So if you two are going to do anything, take it elsewhere."

This caused Luna to blush more, but, like Aikka, she remained silent.

Eva woke up and looked at Stan and Koji, "Did we stop while I slept?" She asked.

"Yeah, for about half an hour, then we left again." Stan said.

"Where'd we stop?" She sat up in the bed.

"Don't know." Koji said, "We couldn't tell, or see very well. We're in one of the inner quarters, not many windows around here if you haven't noticed."

"I bet my dad'll know." She got out of bed and slipped on her shoes._  
_  
"How do you plan to contact him?" Stan asked, "He's on the _Crashing Blade_, not anywhere near us."

"I'll go get the pilot to let me."

"A mechanic, contact Don Wei?" Koji asked, "He'll be questioning it."

"Fine, we'll find another terminal." Eva said, "I just don't know how I'll get into it." She sighed.

Stan and Koji walked over to her, "Are you forgetting who helped repair the Arrow after all that damage during the Great Race?" Stan asked.

"You mean, you'll hack it or something for me?"

"Of course." Koji said.

Stan gave her a thumbs up, "Let's go."

They left their quarters and made their way for the cockpit. If anything was being kept from them, they'd find out.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Emproga

They had managed to find a console outside of the cockpit, but it was under heavy internal security.

Koji tried hacking it from the console while Stan worked on the hardware portion, the outside of it.

After a few minutes of tinkering, they broke through the security.

Eva quickly worked; she wasn't sure how long they'd have. She managed to find where Don was, and call to the nearest console.

She waited, but no pickup came.

"Pick up!" She snapped at no one, but her father who was ships away.

They could hear footsteps coming from the cockpit. Stan pulled her aside and switched off the console, pulling her along as they ran, to avoid getting caught.

"He didn't pick up?" Koji asked.

"I got the nearest console I could; I guess no one was around." She said.

"That's surprising." Stan said, "But just wait, we'll be there soon, then you can talk to him."

She nodded, "You're right."

General Salzor stood at the cockpit of his flagship, the _Crashing Blade. _Emproga was coming up, and would be in range in moments.

As soon as the ships came into range of Emproga, it became apparent. The Crogs were losing it seemed.  
_  
_Crog Tridents and Earth ships flew in space around the planet; all ships had taken heavy damage and were patched pretty badly. They flew in formation around the planet, providing a web of defense against enemy ships.

The ships were heavy and blocky with thrusters on the back, guns under the body and a cockpit on top.

The _Crashing Blade_ moved into position and using the gun wells on the side, opened fire.

The Trident that had been fighting it flew back as the ship was assailed by a rain of bullets. The Trident glowed, and flew forward, slicing through the now weakened ship and destroying it.

Salzor moved the Crashing Blade into view and opened fire from its gun wells, supporting the Trident and providing it a clear path.

From Emproga came a transmission, a transmission from a Crog. This Crog's black flesh was obscured by a robotic eyepatch and destroyed ears, scars, and a mechanical hiss from the background.

"Who are you?" The Crog demanded.

"General Salzor of Earth. We've intercepted your distress call, we're here to assist you and the colonists you have." Salzor told the Crog.

The Crog growled, "Fine, help accepted."

"Who are you?" Salzor asked.

"I am Lieutenant Zhrog of Kramm." The Crog replied.

"Lieutenant Zhrog," Salzor said, "are you willing for just this repulsion? Do we have to watch our backs? Or can we call a truce?"

"A truce?" The Crog growled, "We don't know the meaning."

"You'd better learn. And fast." Salzor replied, looking at the maps, "It seems that from our position, we're picking up an armada approaching. Not of Tridents either."

The Crog nodded slowly, "We will make a truce after these aliens are repelled."

"No!" Salzor snapped, "We do this now, or not at all!"

"You don't trust us?" The Crog asked.

"I don't."

More ships started to come into view, forcing the _Crashing Blade_ to shoot them down.

"Fine." Zhrog growled, "I'll meet you in space. I'll have to come to your ship…no, scratch that, we link up and meet in there."

"Agreed." Salzor said, "I'll have us meet in my flagship, _Crashing Blade_. My smaller gunships will cover us, the _Avalon_ and the _Galahad_. My other two, the _Mordred_ and the _Gawain_ will stay in the battle."  
_  
_"Agreed." Zhrog replied. He cut off the transmission, revealing his left arm to be full of machinery and circuits. Apparently whatever had damaged his eye and ears had done even more, apparently removed his entire arm.

The _Crashing_ _Blade, Avalon, Galahad, Mordred, Gawain_ and the other two large ships flew around, opening fire on the new armada.

From the planet of Emproga came a larger Crog ship, flanked by two Tridents as it flew at the _Crashing Blade_.

"Cover them!" Salzor yelled.

The gunships opened their hangers and smaller ships flew out, opening fire on the superior ships. Their bullets did little damage against the superior hulls of the enemy ships.

Salzor kept in contact with Zhrog, "Come aboard the _Crashing Blade_ and we'll speak."

Zhrog regarded him curiously from across the transmission, "I'm to speak to you? Of what merits of honor do you possess?"

"I am the general of all Earth forces!" Salzor snapped, "Is that honor not high enough for you?"

"No." Zhrog replied bluntly.

"Then what do I need?" Salzor yelled.

"Find me someone worthy." Zhrog switched the transmission off with the flick of a switch. The light of the screen winked out with a flash, but the Tridents kept moving towards the flagship.

"Damn it!" Salzor yelled, beating his fist into the wall.

Don Wei approached him and saluted, he was still to remain on the bridge under orders, "Sir!"

Salzor glanced at him, still angered, "What?" He snapped.

"I think I may know a way to help." Don replied.

Zhrog sat back in the Trident he had taken. He used his larger ship as a distraction, if the enemies wanted him gone, they'd attack the larger ship, so the Trident would be his ship of choice. It was regardless._  
_  
The human's flagship was approaching quickly as the three Crog ships kept moving. Zhrog flicked a few switches and pulled his Trident forward to link up with the larger Crog ship and then to the _Crashing Blade_.

Zhrog stepped through, allowing another Crog to take the Trident.

He rose to his full height. His body was in crimson armor, but was damaged beyond medical science could repair.

An explosion had rendered him useless in the eyes of the Crogs, and his rank was now a mockery of his former life.

He was a lieutenant in the Crog Imperium, and he had been assigned to this planet, a planet full of humans and plants! He had been left a small skeleton fleet to take the planet, and then keep the planet. The Crogs could do it, and he had the respect of his men, of course, it was gained through their former fear of him. Now he figured they all mocked him.

His left eye had been "destroyed" by the explosion. His retina had been damaged too severely and his ears ripped apart by the force. His torso took beatings and a few chunks were missing, replaced by mechanical implants. His left arm had been severed and was connected by steel and circuitry. His leg had received the same damage and fate.

He looked to the _Crashing Blade_ as they approached, and stepped to the side where the hatch would be. He waited.

"This is outrageous Don Wei!" Salzor yelled.

"It's our best chance." Don simply replied.

Salzor paced around the room before stopping and giving Don a cold look, "Fine."  
_  
_Don walked over and set up a communication line, "This is the _Crashing Blade_; we request that the _Akasha_ bring over its mechanics."

The captain of the ship, the _Akasha_, the same class as the _Crashing Blade_, responded, "Will do."  
_  
_The ship came forward, trying to reach the _Crashing Blade_ before the Crogs did, or their diplomatic mission may be over, and it may become a three way slaughter.

Don and Salzor raced down to the link up point on the far side of the ship. They heard the hiss of steam as the bridge broke away and moved out into space, meeting the _Akasha_ halfway.

They waited until the seal broke and the _Akasha's_ crew became available.

Don pressed an intercom button, "Only mechanic number 209 for now."

The captain didn't question, no one did. They weren't ordered to.

Out ran Eva, running to Don.

"What do you ne-"

He cut her off, "Diplomatic mission to see Lieutenant Zhrog of the Crogs." He said, pulling her along.

"What? Me? Can't General Salzor do it?" She complained.

Salzor ignored her rude comments at him and spoke clearly in a manner as expected of him, "Zhrog is turning down my credentials; we need someone better than me-in his opinion-so the winner of the Great Race of Oban should suffice."

"I can't disagree with you there." She said.

He again, ignored her. He would have to talk to Don Wei later about parenting his child.

Don pulled Eva along, just in time, as the next hatch opened, and Zhrog started to walk through.

Jordan floated through an ancient room. Walls were crumbling with age, vines hung and wrapped around the stone walls.

He reached into a small golden chest, not much larger than his hand. He opened it slowly, looking at the dust filled contents.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the glow of a Creator, "What are you doing Avatar Jordan?" The Creator demanded, much tension and anger filled his voice.

Jordan turned, "I have no other choice according to you!" He snapped.

The Creator wasn't fazed, "You do know the consequences of using a Knight Stone, don't you?"

"I do." Jordan replied.

"It's a double edged sword." The Creator replied, "If you use it for your own gain, then the help it could provide might be overshadowed by the problems it causes."

"I know." Jordan replied. He pulled the small palm sized stone out, "But it just may save them."


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Rising Tensions

Zhrog saluted, making Eva feel uneasy. She didn't know if she should do anything back, adding to her uneasiness.

"Winner of the Great Race of Oban." It came out as more of a question from the Crog.

She eyed his body, she had her fair share of Crogs, Toros and Kross were more than enough, but this Crog, with the wounds and mechanical implants, was a different experience altogether.

"I am." She replied.

"I am a Lieutenant of the Crog Imperium; assigned this colony of Emproga, this human colony that is now ours." He said.

"I understand." She said. She was still uncomfortable, she wasn't sure if she should have spoken then or not.

"I would like to speak with you, to form a truce and battle plan." Zhrog told her.

She nodded, "I will form the truce with you on behalf of the Earth, but I cannot form battle plans, I am no military leader."

"I understand." Zhrog said. His good eye became slimmer as he glanced at Salzor; the red flash of the fake eye on his eyepatch looked over as well. "Him, right?"

"Yes." Eva replied, "Please, make plans with him, but the truce, we'll work on that now if you wish."

"I do." He said, "Please, take me to a war room aboard this ship."

Eva nodded and turned to Don, embarrassed, "Where's the war room?"

Salzor stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back, "I shall escort you."

Zhrog nodded, but Salzor put his hand on Eva's shoulder, "Speak with your father for last words of encouragement. Don't screw this up." He walked off with Zhrog; Zhrog's men had stayed behind to guard the passage.

Eva turned to Don, "What did he mean?"

"We stopped at Nourasia." Don said. He put his hand out, "We can speak of it later. But Aikka is here, I'll send for him; get Nourasia in on the truce since they'll be forces here as well."

She nodded, holding back her excitement, "Ok, call him then, hurry!"

He pressed a button, "Send the Nourasian King, Aikka, over."

She jumped at the word "King". "Aikka's a…?"

"Yes." Don replied, "He's King of Nourasia."

She held back her excitement. She would have to really congratulate him later, when the truce was settled.

In moments Aikka came across, dressed in fine armor, a cape attached to it. He wore a crown, an ornamental dagger at his belt, his bow and quiver of arrows slung across his back. He had a majestic look about him, befitting of the King of Nourasia.

Her heart leapt as she saw him, in such a regal, powerful, and handsome form.

She heard the door open with a hiss once more, and he stopped. He evidently hadn't seen her, so he turned around to look at who had entered.

It was a young Nourasian woman, long silver hair, in an elegant white dress. She held his arm, and he turned around, walking back across the bridge with her following behind. The passage wasn't wide enough for them to walk side by side, but the woman didn't seem to be upset about it. She seemed pleased just being with him.

He recognized Eva and moved forward at a faster rate now, the woman still coming behind him.

Eva's heart dropped, "Aikka, nice to see you again." She said, trying to remain friendly and ignore the woman, and her own pain of heart.

"Molly." He said and extended his hand.

"Please, call me Eva." She said, "That is my real name after all."

"Oh, right." He bowed, "Please, forgive me."

"It's no problem. No need to be so formal with me." She said, feeling uncomfortable.

He rose and took her hand, kissing it, "Now come, we must get that treaty formed."

She nodded, but shifted her attention back to the young Nourasian woman. She was a proper noble it seemed, beautiful, apparently well groomed, and silent since she had nothing to contribute, and no reason to intrude.

Aikka then saw Eva's eyes on her, "Oh, where are my manners? Eva, this is my fiancée, Luna."

Eva had to hold herself back from crying out, but settled for a simple outburst, "Fiancée? But, you're both so young!"

Luna spoke up, her voice soft, clear, and as beautiful as she was, "It's proper in the Nourasian court for this to happen at a young age, especially for the King."

"How did you become King?" Eva asked him.

"How else?" Aikka asked, "My father passed. On the trip home actually, I didn't get to see him after Oban."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Eva said.

"It's ok." He replied, "Now, please, we must be going."

"Oh, of course." She felt embarrassed, "Follow me." She started down a corridor.

"Wrong way!" Don called. He ran down, "Um, let me lead the three of you." He looked to Luna, "I'm sorry, but are you going to it?"

"I am." She said.

"But what business do you have there exactly?" Don asked as they walked.

"Just to stand by Lord Aikka's side as his future wife." She replied.

Eva hated the way she said "Lord Aikka" and "future wife". It made her sick.

Don pushed a door open to the war room. It was a large circular room; seats all round and surrounding a circular terminal in the center, used to display data. Zhrog and Salzor were still in it, working on a quick strategy that benefitted both sides in only one way, repelling the invaders, nothing else, in case a truce couldn't be formed.

Zhrog turned to the door, "Leave Salzor." He said.

Salzor looked up in surprise. Then he looked to the door. He was pissed that mere children, and two aliens, took more importance to him to a Crog lieutenant.

"I'll leave you all alone." Salzor said and graciously took his leave.

Zhrog nodded and gestured, "Have a seat." He took a spot of his own.

Eva, Aikka and Luna walked in. Eva sat across the terminal from Zhrog. Aikka and Luna sat in between them at the curve.

Zhrog looked to them in surprise, "I didn't expect a Nourasian."

"I am King Aikka of Nourasia." Aikka said. He didn't want to admit that he would be king only upon his marriage.

Zhrog merely nodded, "Let's get this settled."

On Earth, Nereus received a private message from Salzor. He activated the terminal in his own chamber and sat down. "Yes General?" He took a drink of his beer.

"We have arrived on Emproga." Salzor reported, "We've made contact with the Crogs, their lieutenant, Zhrog, seems interested in making the truce with us to repel these enemy forces."

"I see. Continue." He took another swish of his drink.

"The plan shall proceed, but it seems that we really will see combat here." Salzor reported.

Nereus finished his drink, "Ok, do as you must, then, near the endgame, end things. Remove every obstacle, clear your path, and then, fulfill the mission."

Salzor saluted, "I shall if you do your part."

Nereus smiled, "Oh, don't worry about me." He switched off the screen.

After nearly an hour of discussion, the continual sounds of combat, gunfire, and death echoing in the background, the three sides had made a truce.

Aikka, Eva, and Zhrog stood up, shaking hands.

"Let this truce bind us by our honor." Aikka said, taking a glance out of the corner of his eye at Zhrog, "Any honor we may have."

Zhrog wasn't a fool, he knew it was a shot at him, "We Crogs have honor too young one." He said.

Aikka held his tongue while Luna was in the room. He only nodded, "I'll look forward to seeing it."

Zhrog glared at him, slitting his eye, "Let's go. We have a battle to join."

Eva looked out into space as they walked; ships on both sides were destroyed. Earth ships like the Arrow, sleek ships, small versions of the large ships, gun ships, and some other, unique ships.

One ship caught her attention, a white ship, sleek on the bottom, ridges leading up to a cockpit and blades. It moved up, becoming a bit blocky, but kept its sleek form.

"What's that?" She wondered.

Zhrog, Aikka and Luna stopped and looked out.

"Impressive ship." Zhrog commented.

The ship split in half, the blocky parts being used to make "wings" on the sides and cut down enemy ships with gunfire and bladed wings.

A ship came from behind, and a blade on an anchor launched, destroying it.

"Very impressive." Zhrog said again, "What is that ship and who is the pilot?"

"I don't know. For either one." Eva replied. She was also very impressed.

Salzor walked down and looked, "Ah, the Lancelot."

They looked to him.

"Lancelot?" Eva asked.

"One of our A-Class ships." Salzor replied, "The Lancelot is top line, and has a top line pilot."

"Who?" Eva asked.

"Private Alistair J. Wilde."

Jordan approached the Creators.

"I wish to request that you give me the information on Emproga." He said. He lifted the Knight Stone, "Or I may have to use it."

"We have no information to give." A Creator answered.

"You created Emproga!" Jordan yelled, "It's at the edge of our universe, so it's ours! You made it!"

Energy encircled them all as Jordan's rage grew, his power becoming loose.

"We shall answer." A Creator said.

"What?" Jordan demanded, his power coming under his control.

"We know of it." Another answered.

"Then tell."

"We can not tell you of Emproga, not while the Gate is open." They all answered at once.

"The Gate?" Jordan asked. "What the hell is the Gate?"


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Deadly Weapons

"Wilde?" Eva yelled in shock.

Salzor nodded and then snapped his fingers in recognition, "Oh, yes! Wasn't there a Jordan Wilde in the Great Race with you?" He asked Eva.

She looked down and responded quietly, "He was…"

Aikka looked to her, "What happened to Jordan anyway?"

"He's Avatar." She whispered.

Salzor held back his shock. This girl, her former partner was the Avatar. He could manipulate her, use her…

He looked, watching the Lancelot, using an energy blade sprouting from a wing's tip. The crimson and black blade sliced through the enemy ship with ease. The blocky ship erupted into a fireball and shards of shrapnel.

The Lancelot immediately turned and headed back for the _Avalon, _heading for a docking bay on the side of the massive flagship.

Salzor walked down the steel corridor, "If you'd like to meet Alistair, please, come with me."

They followed without a word down the corridor.

"We are not allowed to discuss Emproga, not while the Gate is open." The Creators replied again._  
_  
"Just what is this Gate?" Jordan yelled.

The skies of Oban and the temple darkened, becoming blacker than pitch. Flames danced around the base of the temple, casting eerie flickering light across the scene.

"The Gate is open." The Creators again replied. The flames cast flickering lights upon their celestial bodies. The blue of their bodies started to turn, and in an instant, turned crimson.

"But what is the Gate?" Jordan yelled as loud as he could, over the winds that erupted from nowhere.

"Tell me!"

"The Gate is open." The Creators replied.

"Tell me, what is Emproga?" Jordan yelled.

"We cannot say. The Gate is open."

"So, while this Gate is open, you can't tell me of it, or Emproga?" Jordan questioned.

"Correct." Then came the common answer, "The Gate is open."

Jordan nodded, "I have what I need." Jordan replied. He assumed his Avatar form once more, and floated back and out of the temple. He turned back once, but saw that the Creators were still crimson and that the ambiance had yet to fade.

He clutched the Knight Stone harder in his fist. If the Creators couldn't answer, he had to use the Stone.

Alistair left the Lancelot cockpit. He leapt down onto the ground below; shaking his short blond hair loose of the position it was molded in from his helmet. He tucked his helmet beneath his arm and looked up at the arriving group.

He undid his flight suit, dropping the gray clothes to the ground. He stepped forward in his white uniform, symbolic of high rank in the Earth military.

He saluted as he walked forward, "Ah, General Salzor!" He put his hands behind his back after setting his helmet upon a table at his side. He looked at Aikka, Luna, Eva and Zhrog.

He stepped forward with a smile. He took Luna's hand and kissed it, as would be proper, "Ah, Luna, a noblewoman of the court of Nourasia!" He stood up to his full height, "It's an honor to meet you." He swept one arm beneath his body and bowed deeply.

She felt a bit uncomfortable, all this coming from a human. She put her hand up before her body, "No, please…no need to do this."

He rose, "As you wish." He replied with a smile. He looked to the other three and extended his black leather gloved hand to Aikka.

Aikka shook it with a firm grip, "Nice to meet you King Aikka."

"And nice to meet you." Aikka replied. He looked to Eva.

"May I ask why a mechanic is here?" He asked.

Eva looked at him, "I have to ask! How are you related to Jordan Wilde?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Jordan? How do you know my brother? How is he?"

She stepped back, "I don't know how to tell you this…about your brother…but…"

"Out with it!" He snapped, changing his attitude.

"He's…"

"Dead." Aikka muttered, "I'm sorry-I was there with him, and with her." He directed towards Eva, "He died a hero."

Zhrog stifled a deep laugh at how easily humans were deceived.

Alistair nodded, "Ok. We both knew what we were getting into."

Eva ignored it. Maybe it was better if Alistair didn't know about Jordan. She looked to the Lancelot with wonder.

"Ah, the Lancelot." Alistair walked over towards it, "You wish to know of it?"

"Yeah." Eva replied.

Salzor eyed Zhrog, "If you betray us, you and your allies will meet a swift end."

Zhrog laughed, but swiftly ended, "We can't afford to fight amongst ourselves, not now."

Salzor nodded, "You're right, but don't forget that."

His eyes narrowed at Salzor, "I won't."

Salzor walked away, towards the Lancelot's white frame. He put his hand on it, ignoring the two mechanics working on it-working on refueling it.

"The Lancelot, a Class A model-the greatest Class A craft actually." He said, running his hand down the sleek exterior, "It comes in two modes, "Standby Mode", the blocky form earlier, and "Wing Mode", this form."

"I prefer Wing." Alistair said, "Just drop the Standby Mode from the Lancelot if you'd please." He told Salzor.

Salzor shot him a look, "I can't." He removed his hand and walked a bit along the Lancelot's base, "It's necessary. You may be a good pilot, but you'll have to put up with it. I don't care how good you are, we have no one as good as…you." He quickly corrected himself, to cover up his delay. He knew Eva should be able to do it, but had to figure it out, how to make her.

He looked back to it, "It uses, in its Standby Mode, thrusters all at one position for thrust, combined with all weapons at one position. In Wing Mode, the thrusters are angled back for thrust at one point, but still, better for flight and speed. The weapons are spread out, and it has bladed wings now. Alongside that," he looked to Zhrog, "it has charged particle beam swords."

"Charged particles?" Zhrog asked.

"Yeah." Salzor replied, "The Lancelot is only powerful enough to hold chargers. They form into the blades you saw earlier. The beam processors swivel to produce the blade at different angles, all because another transmitter moves out and holds the beam out at a certain length. The swivel feature prevents the blade from being interrupted."

"Swivel?" Eva asked, "Isn't that a bit…low tech?"

"It was the best way." He replied, "No matter how low tech." He cleared his throat, "The charged particles are a deadly weapon, and the blade shape is all for show. The energy itself is strong enough that even a "blunt" weapon would do.

"We have charged particle guns as well, but for larger ships. They produce a diameter of around ten feet per blast and are very deadly. Only a handful of our crafts in general can use them. In fact, our ships here are equipped, the _Avalon, Mordred_, and all the others. But, we couldn't finish fast enough. But there is one more powerful weapon. One so powerful, only ships in the _Akasha's_ class can carry them."

"And they are?" Zhrog asked. The others were enthralled.

"Take it a Crog to ask." Salzor sighed. He looked up and smiled, "Charged particle cannons-thirty foot diameter. Survival chance: zero percent." He laughed, "You Crogs turn on us, Emproga is gone, as will be all of you!"

"You'd destroy Emproga to get to us?" Zhrog asked. "You're like a Crog."

Salzor hated that he was compared to the Crogs. He reached for his sidearm, but Zhrog had his hand around Salzor's throat.

No one moved to help him; they had all seen Salzor go for his gun.

Zhrog's eye narrowed, "Try again." A hydraulic hiss came out from the mechanical parts on his body. He released the throat, "And you die."

"Understood." He coughed.

Zhrog gestured, "By all means, please, continue."

He glared at the Crog, "Our cannons are so powerful, that only two cannons are needed to fire at the same time, any position, to destroy a planet. Only ships of these class can hold them, as I said. Not even the smaller ships, even linked up, can use them. They are the strongest weapons the Earth has to offer."

Zhrog walked forward and looked at the Lancelot. He walked to the wing and reached for the spot the blade would emerge from.

He heard the gun cock, "No." Salzor said, "You look at our technology, you'll be a traitor to our truce, and then, you'll be executed on the spot."

A bellowing laugh came from Zhrog, "Again, a Crog."

Salzor muttered something under his breath. He had joined Nereus because he too hated aliens. Being compared to one made him boil with anger.

"Anything else you wish to see?" Alistair asked the group.

"No." Zhrog replied. He turned around, "I think we've seen everything here. I'm to return to Emproga now." He walked by the others, heading back for the bridge location, to return to his Trident.

"Charged particles really take a lot out of the ship." Nereus told Alistair, "Be careful not to run out of power in a fight again."

He shook his head and pulled his flight suit back on, "Don't worry; I'll watch it from now on." He climbed back into the cockpit to be re-deployed.

Jordan looked at the dull stone in his hand, and clenched his fist. It began to glow with dazzling yellow light. He opened his palm, and allowed the energy to surge freely.

"Go." He whispered.

A blast of light lanced out, heading for Emproga.

_Be safe everyone._ He prayed, praying for his friends safety.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Shining Lancelot

"Lancelot…launch!" He pressed down on his lever like switch next to him, holding the buttons down, and slamming it forward, letting it glide forward.

The thrusters of the Lancelot picked up power and ignited, shooting the Lancelot into the open void of space.

"Let's see if he can do it." Salzor said to no one in particular.

"What do you mean?" Eva asked him.

He looked down on her, "We have yet to get a body." He said.

Aikka looked out, "You took them by surprise, and the Crogs were here to fight from the start. Are you actually telling me that none of you have gotten an enemy body?"

"That's correct." Zhrog said, "Salzor's assumption is correct. We have yet to get a body. "

"Same for us." Salzor confirmed.

"How's that?" Eva asked.

"We don't know." Salzor said. He looked back out into open space, watching ships fly around, opening fire and shooting ships down. "Watch." He said.

The Lancelot moved in one a group of ships and opened fire while simultaneously activating its blades. They activated with a snap and then a hiss as the red and black energy took form.

"Charged particles will destroy the enemy ship." Aikka said, "Won't they?" He felt the eyes of the Crog on him, "I mean, from what I've heard, they're stronger than a nuclear strike. Won't the ship be totaled?"

Zhrog kept his eyes on him.

Salzor nodded, "Normally yes, the ship would be too damaged to extract a body from, but watch Alistair work. His Lancelot is strong, but he knows its range of skills, and how to moderate its power."

The Lancelot switched back to Standby Mode, its blades now out from in front of the gleaming white hull of the ship.

"The blades are ineffective like that." Zhrog said. His robotic eye zoomed in, analyzing it. "Yes, that would only mean thrust attacks would work-and even then, the bulk of the body of the ship would still impede the path of the Lancelot."

"Watch." Salzor told him. His voice was a mix of glee and stability-trying to keep his voice level and stable with a hint of insanity.

The Lancelot's blades started to spin, and then, the blades were gone.

"What?" Zhrog turned to him, "What is this?" He demanded.

A smile spread across Salzor's face, "Keep watching."

The crimson and black particles came back together in waves across the void of space. They sailed from between the Lancelot towards the enemy ship it was engaged with. The entire time, on a sensor in the _Crashing Blade, _life was indicated from within the ship.

The waves struck, and life ceased.

"Bring it in." Salzor had pressed a button at his side to open a com. signal with the Lancelot.

The Lancelot flew forward until it was just over the enemy craft. The bottom of the Lancelot opened and dropped down wires, binding the blocky enemy ship in its hold. The thrusters activated, and moved back towards the flagship.

"Waves of radiation." Salzor explained, "Just enough to kill the target, not enough to break down the body mind you."

"Why tell us that part?" Eva asked.

"If my suspicions are right, you'll see." Salzor replied. He heard the distinctive sound of the hanger opening, and the ships entering.

Salzor walked over, taking long military strides back over. He gestured for the other four to follow into the cold hanger.

The group came behind him as Alistair leapt out of the Lancelot, down onto the body of the defeated ship. He kept his flight suit and helmet on while he pried his fingers under the hatch, looking for the catch to open the hatch.

The group gathered around, and was shocked.

There was no body.

"There were life readings!" Eva exclaimed.

"I know." Salzor replied.

"There must have been something in there!" Aikka yelled out.

"I know." Salzor replied once more.

Luna remained silent behind Aikka and said nothing.  
_  
_Zhrog looked, "The life signs indicated a being of nearly our size." He said, "If it was small, too small to see with the naked eye, then the scanner would have shown different readings. This indicates the body somehow escaped between the time of the lethal radiation waves and the docking of the ship. But that isn't possible."

"I know." Salzor said once more.

"It makes no sense." Luna said, finally adding to the conversation.

Alistair dropped down to the floor, retaining his grey flight suit. He tucked the helmet under his left arm, "It's been the same every time." He said, "At first, when we arrived and I was deployed, I struck out with the same type of radiation-even altering its lethal levels, sometimes going only to knock the target out, sometimes to just weaken it, and sometimes, to just bring it in. Every time, however, it was the same. No body."

"But what if the body was vaporized by the radiation?" Luna asked. As all eyes turned to her, she quickly added, "What if, when left alive, the body escaped somehow, but, when confirmed deceased, the body was actually vaporized?"

"Impossible." Alistair said, "But nice assumption." He smiled at her.

Aikka stepped in front of her. Alistair may be human-and Jordan's brother-but he wasn't like Jordan, and apparently, to him, species mattered not.

"We tested this on Earth." Salzor said, "The level that we used every time never destroyed the body, only killed, or rendered unconscious. If not, it only weakened them at the least. However, variables like the metal of the ship could stop some, but not all radiation."

"But what did you use as test subjects?" Zhrog asked, raising suspicion.

"Aliens." Salzor replied. He kept the glee out of his voice. He always enjoyed that part of his job, executing aliens.

"What?" Aikka was quick to draw his blade and Zhrog prepared to strike as well.

Alistair didn't seem fazed; in fact, he had drawn a handgun from the side of his hip, but stood motionless.

"Only semi-sapient beings." Salzor said, and that was true. McMillan hadn't allowed them to use species like Nourasians or Phils or Inna. Only those that weren't sapient. However, execution of criminals was sometimes used in that manner to test it on humans.

Aikka looked to the gun; it was aimed more at him than anyone else.

He slowly sheathed his blade until the click of the guard hitting the scabbard rang out.

Alistair slowly moved the gun towards Zhrog, but the Crog made no move.

"Put it down." Salzor said calmly.

Alistair holstered his sidearm and stepped forward until he was standing just behind Salzor.

"Let's go." Luna said uncomfortably.

Aikka nodded and turned around, his cloak sweeping around him as he ushered Luna from the room alongside him.

Zhrog turned, "I'll be taking my leave now." He said in his deep and commanding voice. Without waiting, he walked off after the Nourasians.

Eva looked at the two, and walked closer, without knowing it, towards the Lancelot.

Alistair walked over, "You like it?" He asked.

"Yeah." She replied, looking at him. He reminded her nothing of his brother as of late. At first, it may have seemed like they were alike, but not anymore.

He looked out into space, "Go in, take a look at it."

"Can I?" She asked excitedly.

He shrugged, "Be my guest."

Without waiting for Salzor's approval, he helped her into the cockpit.

She sat comfortably in the seat of the Lancelot, feeling its smooth control system, looking at the monitors to get an idea of the entire control interface. It was complex, but simply laid out.

Alistair walked away for a moment to get himself a drink from being cramped in the Lancelot cockpit all day, and didn't notice that Eva had shut the hatch.

The launch signal was deployed, and the workers in the hanger launched the Lancelot into open space for combat.

Zhrog caught up with Aikka and Luna and grabbed Aikka's shoulder, pulling the Nourasian King back.

"How do you know about charged particles?" Zhrog demanded in his deep and commanding boom of a voice.

"What are you talking about?" Aikka demanded, quickly speaking, "I know  
nothing of them except for what we were told!"

Zhrog laughed and shook his head, "No. You tipped your hand." He looked directly at Aikka, "You said they were stronger than a nuclear blast. We weren't told that. So, how do you know?"

Eva struggled with the controls, trying to bring the Lancelot under her control as she was involuntarily launched into space while in the cockpit of the gleaming white ship.

"No!" She pounded on the console, trying to get help, "General! Alistair!" No answer came. The communication system was down it seemed.

She looked, and saw three enemy ships flying towards the Lancelot, opening fire on her gleaming white craft. Comrades were fighting all over, and at the site of the Lancelot, had no reason to help if Alistair was at the battle.

She kept pressing buttons, hoping to work it.

Alistair ran over to peer outside, "What is she doing?" He yelled.

Salzor looked, "So that's Eva?" He asked.

Alistair nodded and pounded on the window, "Damn it!"

The ship switched back to Wing Mode and flew, easily evading the fire of the three ships with expert ease. Eva put the ship into a loop, opening fire on the three ships. The engines of one went down, and it floated dead in space, while the other two survived.

She flew down, behind them, and triggered the blades of her ship. She was in complete and total control of the Lancelot, and she had to make it out. She had to deal with the aliens.

Her focus was complete, beyond what she had ever done. She didn't notice that the Lancelot started to glow around her.

Alistair looked in shock, "She made it shine!"

Salzor was in even more shock, "The Soul Drive." He muttered. He looked to Alistair, fighting down the lump in his throat, "Not even you could use it…"

Alistair kept quiet in focus, and anger.

The Lancelot, now burning with intense white light, like that of a condensed sun, flew at the two ships with its crimson and black blades extended. The energy of the unstable charged particles snapped and flickered as the Lancelot flew.

She slashed her blades into the two alien ships, destroying the engines and cutting into the ships with expert precision. But then it changed.

She flew past, but the ships, like the first, had survived.

She floated there, in space, three crippled ships floated around her, and the Lancelot started to fade.

She had mastered the Soul Drive, and she had taken out three ships without killing anyone.

Salzor smiled and looked to Alistair, "It looks like we have a new soldier."


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: A Cold Sun Dawns

Salzor and Alistair approached the docking Lancelot. Salzor clasped his hands behind his back. Eva was the perfect warrior for them. She had mastered the Lancelot's controls in moments, and instead of letting loose with the power of the machine, only subdued her opponents without taking any damage herself. She had even mastered the Soul Drive, something that not even Alistair had mastered…

He remembered when he had spoken with the chief mechanics on the ships and the creators of the Lancelot…

"The Soul Drive cannot be controlled with ease." One of the mechanics had said.

"How can it be controlled?" Salzor demanded.

"We don't know." The other said.

"Then how did she trigger it?" Salzor yelled at the mechanics.

They both shrank back in fear. They both shrugged, "I'm sorry Sir, we don't know." The first said.

Salzor walked around in a circle, cursing. He looked at the two, "Build me a new A-Class ship with higher specs, like the Lancelot's, and give it a Soul Drive."

They looked at each other, "Um, we can't equip another Soul Drive." The first said, "We didn't bring the materials we need to make one."

"Damn it!" Salzor pounded his fist on the wall, giving out a loud bang.

Alistair put his hand on the general's shoulder, "She doesn't need the Soul Drive since she'll have the Lancelot." He looked at the mechanics, "Keep its specs high, and only Wing Mode."

They were about to go off and do as Alistair had said, but Salzor yelled for them to stay.

"No." He had said, "Alistair, you'll keep the Lancelot. Let the girl have no Soul Drive. I doubt she'll use it again anyway, or knew what had happened."

Alistair nodded. The mechanics ran off to do his bidding.

Now Salzor cursed. Eva may be a capable pilot and fighter, but, without the Soul Drive, she may not be as good as he needed her to be. He looked to Alistair at his right. The Lancelot's hatch opened, and Eva climbed out and dropped to the ground.

"I'm sorry." She quickly apologized, "I didn't mean to launch it. It just…launched."

Salzor held up his hand, "No need to apologize." He said.

She looked to Alistair who nodded, "You handled the Lancelot beautifully. In fact…"

"In fact." Salzor said, picking up from Alistair, "We want you to be a pilot-a soldier if you will-to pilot an A-Class ship and help us here."

She looked surprised by his offer, "Yes, I'll do it." She said.

Salzor smiled, "Excellent. We'll have a new A-Class ship ready for you by tomorrow."

She shook her head, "I don't want a ship like the Lancelot." She said. Before either of them, with their shocked looks, could question her, she quickly put in, "I like the Whizzing Arrow's design better."

Salzor nodded, "I'll have them make it in that model then." He turned, "Alistair, I'll leave the rest to you."

Alistair nodded to the general. Salzor walked off down the long hall.

"I don't know!" Aikka yelled.

Zhrog looked at him, "We Crogs don't have working charged particle weapons yet, so you didn't hear of information phrased like that on Nourasia."

"Aikka…" Luna put her hand on his arm.

"Fine." Aikka muttered through clenched teeth, "The charged particles…are known to me because of the Crogs." He looked up before Zhrog could speak, "On Nourasia they were using Nourasians as slaves, working on prototype weapons, and, while never completed into weapons, only tanks of charged particles, they told the Nourasians of what the power would be."

Zhrog nodded, "So, you know your fair share."

"I do." He said, "More than you think."

He was suddenly amused by the Nourasian, "Tell me." He ordered.

"Under what order?" Aikka demanded, reaching for his blade.

"Under Crog orders." Zhrog replied. He leapt forward and slammed Aikka into the wall, throwing his fist around Aikka's throat and choking him.

Aikka struggled for breath, "Fine, I'll tell you."

Zhrog released him, allowing Aikka to fall to the ground. He moved one hand up and down his sore throat as he coughed, "I know what will happen if any ship goes critical in a hanger." He admitted.

"Oh?" Zhrog asked.

"The charged particles, when striking an enemy, destroy the base of the struck substance. If one goes critical in the hanger, the hanger, if not more, will be destroyed, not only by the explosion, but the energy release ripping through the steel. The entire ship would go down."

Zhrog laughed, "Oh? Well, you told me how to win if I ever must turn against the Earth forces!"

Aikka glared up at him, one hand slowly working its way towards his blade.

Zhrog kicked him in the ribs, keeping him down, "Don't try." He glared back at Luna for a moment, and then walked off.

She ran to Aikka's side and helped him up, "I am sorry My Lord."

"It's ok." He replied, getting to the balls of his feet, "I'm fine. But the Earth forces may not be."

Using the Whizzing Arrow models as a design, the mechanics, under Alistair's orders, had started making an A-Class ship of the Arrow's design.

Alistair left them to work. They were good, and would have it done by the next day. He looked out into space as he walked, gazing down at the planet. They would have to land eventually with one or two ships, drop off supplies, then rejoin in space for the defense web. That was the plan; at least, what he had been told was the plan.

He walked down into the crew quarters, knocking on the first of the steel grey doors he came across.

Eva opened it, "Please, come in." She opened it wider to allow him to enter.

"No." He said, "I won't be staying. Your ship will be ready by tomorrow; by the time we reenter space. But, have you told your father of your wishes?"

"I haven't told him yet." She admitted, "I will soon."

He nodded, "You'd best do it soon."

"I will." She closed the door and slumped against it. How was she going to tell her father that she was joining, not as a mechanic, but as a soldier?

She got up and walked over to a console that had since been quickly installed in the room. She pressed a few buttons and waited. Stan and Koji were away, doing their jobs as mechanics while leaving her alone. They did repairs while she tried to tell her father that she was to be a soldier.

She finally sent the signal to the _Crashing Blade_, getting Rick instead.

"Little Mouse, what is it?" He asked.

"Um, where's my father?" She asked.

"Oh?" He asked, "You want Don?" He called off screen, "Don! It's your daughter!"

"Thank you Rick." She said.

He nodded and walked out of view. Don came into view, "Eva, what is it?" He asked.

"Um, General Salzor wants me to be a soldier after I piloted the Lancelot."

"What?" Don demanded, "You were in combat? In the Lancelot?"

"I was." She said, "But, I said yes. I want to fight for the Earth forces."

He was angered beyond belief, "What? You can't Eva! You could get killed!"

"I know." She said, "But I have to! It's my duty!"

He shook his head, "I guess I can't stop you." He looked into her eyes as he saw them, "Eva, be safe."

"I will." She replied, "And thank you."

He smiled a bittersweet smile, "No problem my daughter." He looked down, finding the switch, and cut off the transmission.

She smiled. He approved.

Alistair returned to Salzor's chambers and knocked upon the door, "General, it's me."

"A moment!" Salzor yelled.

Alistair shook his head, "He needs a woman. This is getting ridiculous."

But inside, he was doing something else. He was speaking to Secretary of Defense Thomas Nereus.

"It's all but done." Salzor reported, quieter than usual now with Alistair outside. He turned down the volume so Nereus's voice wouldn't be heard.

"How much?" Nereus asked.

"We have the girl Eva on our side, and her skills are incredible. So far, the enemies are falling with ease. Soon, Emproga shall be ours." He said, finishing with a vicious smile.

"Excellent." Nereus replied. He looked over his shoulder, "Someone comes. I must be off."

Salzor nodded as Nereus switched the transmission off.

Salzor got up and opened the door, allowing Alistair to enter.

"Yes Alistair?" Salzor asked. He resumed his seat.

"The ship will be ready by the time we reenter space." Alistair reported. He looked around the room, but no indication of any inappropriate actions from Salzor.

"Anyway." Alistair said, "That's it. I'll be going."

Salzor nodded, "Be sure that the Nourasian guests are well taken care of."  
_  
_"I shall." Alistair replied. He smiled at the thought of Luna and walked out to head for Aikka's chamber aboard the_ Mordred._

He took the Lancelot and flew over as it also went, with the other ships, except for the _Gawain _and the_ Avalon _towards Emproga. The two ships would stay in space to defend._  
_  
The Lancelot docked on the Mordred and Alistair leapt out, throwing his flight suit and helmet to the ground as he walked along.

He knocked on Aikka's chamber, "King Aikka, Lady Luna, please, open the door."

The door opened, but it was Canaan.

"Go away Alistair." He said. He had his sword drawn and behind his back.

Alistair saw it. He knew that his gun wouldn't be fast enough.

"What's with the sword?" Alistair asked.

"Lady Luna has spoken to me of you, as has Lord Aikka." Canaan said, "One glance at Luna, and you'll be finished."

Alistair nodded to the Nourasian, "I'll remember that."

"Good." He closed the door, not allowing Alistair to say a word.

From across space, soaring from Oban towards the planet of Emproga, came streaking light. It glowed a shining gold color as it moved, carrying no visible mass.

The light circled around Emproga, away from the ships, and then came down to the planet.

Light crashed into a crater on the planet surface.

From the light something rose up.

A humanoid being rose to his full height. He drew his sword and walked towards the settlement of this side of Emproga.

Bloodlust was in his eyes. Consumed his mind.

And the one he saw, burned in, was Eva.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: The Cold Dawn

The ships had returned to space, interlocking themselves into a defense net. The larger ships acted as generators to webs of power around the smaller fighters. The webs would take a few shots to break, but could be easily restored. If the larger ships were totaled, the web would fall, but they had longevity and wouldn't fall easily.

Mechanics, Nourasians and others had been dropped off on the planet surface already. The Nourasians would help as domestic warriors, mechanics would help restore or create more ships for the fight, or creating weapons for domestic policing or for ships to go into battle with.

Eva pulled on a suit to wear while piloting. It was supposed to increase motion by sending impulses to the nerves, and all pilots were to wear them. She saw Alistair walking over, pulling his flight suit on over the top of the suit, "Like it?" He asked her.

She looked at the sleek and tight fitting suit, "There's nothing wrong with it." She said as she pulled her gray flight suit on over it.

"It works." He assured her. "Without it we'd have lost many a battle in the short time we've been here and fighting the Crogs at Earth."

She nodded as she listened, "So, where's my ship?" She asked. The group she had just been placed into was now being sent into battle. The unit of ten led by Alistair was currently in the midst of being deployed for reasons next to unknown. No enemies were visible at the moment.

He nodded in the direction of the hall, "Follow me." He walked down, his black boots ringing out on the steel. Eva's footsteps following were quieter, but still rang out as she followed him.

He stopped at a door with an intricate lock. The _Freedom _was advanced in the ways of its mechanics and security systems for the purpose of creating new ships quickly. It was less of a combat ship than its brethren, the _Akasha_ and the _Crashing Blade_ but could still hold its own in combat_._

Alistair's fingers danced on the data pad as he unlocked the door. The twin sliding doors were now visible as heavy steel, two feet thick each, providing four feet of steel for defense.

He walked in, gesturing to Eva to follow.

The large room was filled with bustling sounds of steel on steel, welding and more machines than could be counted adding their hums to the room.

Alistair walked to the closest mechanic, "The ship requested by General Salzor?"

The young mechanic nodded and gestured for them to follow. He walked through the massive room, past half assembled fighters and heavily modified racers. Eva looked at the mechanics; she recognized none from the military base nor from Wei Racing. These mechanics were evidently always on hand since none were recruited for the mission.

The mechanic led the two to the back of the large hanger remodeled for construction.

He stepped back, "Your ship."

The newly constructed A-Class ship sat alone in the hanger. Its body was the same as the previous incarnations of the Whizzing Arrow, but this time the back end didn't have the path for the gunner, it had a gun turret on each side with controls leading back to the cockpit. Built beside the engines were the small generators used to conjure the charged particle blades, also moderated from the cockpit.

"What's it named?" Eva asked.

Alistair shrugged, "Dub it yourself."

She nodded and looked it over, "Whizzing Arrow IV."

He nodded, "Ok. Now, hurry and get acquainted, we're going into battle." He shifted his helmet from under his left arm to under his right, "I'm off to the Lancelot. Follow instructions from the mechanics and launch as told."

She nodded, "Ok. I'll see you out there."

He nodded and walked off, this time his footsteps weren't audible over the sounds of the machines and work.

She pulled her helmet on and climbed up the ladder beside the ship. She climbed into the cockpit and leaned back in the comfortable seat. She reached out, feeling the controls, familiar enough since it was based upon the old models of the Arrow.

"Ready?" A mechanic asked.

She pressed a few buttons, lifting it off the ground, "Yeah."

The area around it sealed off, and the hatch opened, showing the darkness of space. The Whizzing Arrow maneuvered out and flew into open space.

From the other side of the Freedom came the Lancelot followed by eight other ships that appeared just like the Lancelot, but lacked the vibrant white of the Lancelot.

Alistair's face came up, across every ship, "The enemy has been found. Fall in behind me and use wolf packs."

Apparently he didn't expect any answers, just that they would do as he said, because he just switched off the transmission.

From the black surroundings came the blocky ships they knew all too well. To their ten, there were twenty.

Wolf packs.

Eva knew what it was from history lessons, but didn't get how it would work here. If at least two fought one ship, that left half of the enemy ships ready for the battle, and could easily attack.

She felt uneasy, but sent the Whizzing Arrow IV into battle beside the Lancelot and the others.

Aikka wandered through the streets of Emproga with an advance guard of Nourasian Knights with him. They all carried pikes and swords, Aikka only wore his dagger at this time. He didn't desire to bring his bow with him.

He looked around; the city was more advanced than Nourasia, but apparently from what the humans had said, less advanced than the current Earth now that the Crogs had taken over. The fierce battles had resulted in destruction.

He heard someone running after them. He turned, seeing it was a human officer from the planet. Aikka wondered what he could want.

In an instant, the officer drew his sidearm and fired.

Aikka ducked and drew his dagger point down into his left hand. He ran forward, keeping low. He grabbed the gun in his right hand and span around to get behind the officer, putting his dagger at the man's throat.

The guards were there, their pikes raised at the man.

"Speak!" Aikka ordered, "Why did you fire on me?"

"Because of your sabotage!" He yelled. "You brought that warrior here! I was only ordered to do this by Zhrog!"

"Zhrog." Aikka muttered, he pushed the man forward, "Lower your weapons and let him speak."

One guard disarmed the man before he spoke, "You know the warrior! That one with the sword! Smart not to bring a Nourasian saboteur."

"What type of sword?" Aikka asked. He gestured to the closest guard. The guard threw Aikka his blade. Aikka drew it, showing the katana like blade.

"Like this?" The guard asked.

The officer shook his head, "No." He thought for a moment, thinking through the history of Earth, "Um, for an Earth example, a European sword." He held his hands up, "May I?" He directed to the dirt.

Aikka nodded, "Draw it."

The officer bent down and made the image of the double edged European sword, looking at the contrast between it and the katana based weapon.

"We don't use weapons like that." Aikka told him, "I've never seen a sword like that either on Nourasia. It's not ours."

He looked at Aikka, "You could be lying, Zhrog said that."

"Because Zhrog is a fool!" Aikka snapped, "You're human, he's Crog, who would you listen to? Would you believe the same if a human told you? Why obey a Crog like that? Because he's in control of this planet?"

The officer was at a loss for words. Aikka handed him his weapon, "Show me this warrior so he can taste my steel."

The battle was swift.

Two ships focused on one enemy, using the superior speed and handling of the A-Class ships to overwhelm it, and then move onto the other before it got too far. The Lancelot didn't follow this, and went on ahead, acting as a vanguard and doing major damage on its own.

Eva cut through another ship, only disabling it.

She was about to spin around and allow her partner to finish it, but he moved unexpectedly, and slammed into the Arrow.

The Arrow's control was lost, and cut through the rest of the ship, sending it spiraling into a fireball.

Eva hadn't killed any enemy, even in the Lancelot, she had only disabled. Now she had killed an enemy. She had taken a life.

Her partner's face came up, "Sorry about that." He said, "Lost control from the minor engine damage. Hope I didn't damage your ship."

She shook her head, "No, it-it's fine."

He nodded, "Ok." He switched the communication line off.

Eva was in shock. She forced it away and kept her ship moving, triggering the turrets from the cockpit and firing on the next target.

She forced her mind to go blank, to try to put it past her.

But as the battle came to a close, her performance went down, and she started to reconsider everything, like why she was fighting. What had even made her want to fight?

On the planet surface, Aikka, followed by his guards, moved through the silent and empty streets. The officer pointed ahead, and Aikka saw the man.

He turned to face the group, showing his form. He was a human male wearing a white and pale blue uniform resembling something that could have been from European history. Two tails hang down from it, one behind each leg. On his left he wore a European sword, only its golden hilt sticking out of the scabbard. He appeared to be of approximately twenty years of age and had red hair that hung about a foot or two down his back in spikes.

"Who are you?" Aikka demanded.

The man spoke, as his sword cleared its scabbard, "Kratos." He lunged forward. Aikka grabbed a sword from one of his guards, and charged him.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Duel

Kratos slammed down his sword, barely being parried by Aikka's blade. Aikka could feel his blade was weaker by far, his weapon wasn't as thick, nor was it as strong. And evidently this Kratos had a lot of strength that he could throw behind an attack.

Kratos rocked back and re-poised his blade for a thrust. He forced his arm forward, sending the blade for Aikka's heart.

Aikka span around and lifted his sword high. He slammed it down, but didn't expect Kratos to grab it. Kratos kept his grip hard, letting blood stream down his hand and forearm. He threw a punch with his other hand, the hand that held the sword, and struck Aikka in the face.

As Aikka fell back, the sword slid free from Kratos's bloody grip. Kratos plunged for Aikka's throat.

The Nourasian King leapt back, just out of the tip's range for a lethal blow. He felt the tip strike his throat, and felt the blood running down his chest from his neck.

"Stay back!" Aikka yelled to the other knights and the officer, "This is my fight; you'll all get killed against him! I have a duty as King of Nourasia to fight him."

Kratos regarded him curiously, "King of Nourasia?"

"I am." Aikka replied.

Something nagged at the back of Kratos's mind, but he put it past him. He rammed the flat of his sword across Aikka's face, knocking Aikka to the ground.

Aikka stayed on his knees and put his hand on the ground as if to support his body. He muttered something to himself.

Kratos looked down on Aikka, "What are you doing?" He asked.

"…Vikar!"

Aikka's hand glowed blue, and a wide circle spread from it. The pale blue energy enveloped the two, keeping them contained within.

Aikka continued to chant, and before Kratos could strike to finish Aikka, a surge of energy rippled around the Nourasians body.

"…Ikar!"

The energy lashed out, slashing Kratos across his body, and taking him down, at least for the moment.

The energy filled the dome of Aikka's initial spell, and nothing could be seen.

In space, from the deep darkness, came the large carrier ship.

"I see it." Alistair said. His Lancelot positioned itself, "I'm going in. Keep up against these."

Before Eva could ask to come along, the Lancelot shot out of range in Wing Mode. She was about to pursue to offer her help, but another ship slammed into hers, sending her tumbling away.

She fought to regain control of her craft, and once her blasters were trained on the ship, she fired.

Twin energy beams arced through space and struck the ship directly to the sides of the raised cockpit. The ship sizzled with its internal energy, and hung there, dead in space.

Another ship, her partner, swept in, and finished it.

The ship blew up, sending shrapnel and shards of steel through space. She closed her eyes, swallowed hard, and sent her ship towards the next enemy.

The Lancelot slowed down as the massive carrier detected him. Its hanger bay doors opened, sending ships pouring out.

Alistair touched a button to open a communications channel, "Roughly three hundred. I'm going for the carrier." He removed his finger and resumed his flight. He span around, spinning the Lancelot around, dodging a wave of ships.

As a majority of the ships moved past him, heading towards the rest of the battle fleet of the Earth, the Lancelot kept going. Alistair quickly counted. He saw fifty waiting for him.

He smiled and pressed a button at his side.

Twin beams of energy sizzled out from the sides of his craft as he dove straight in.

The blades cut through the closest two ships, blowing them in half. He continued to move, skillfully dodging every energy bolt flying at him as he got closer and closer.

"Die." He said. He pressed a button, turning on automatic gunner systems, and letting it do the work against the small ships. As they blew apart around him, he carefully chose his target.

"Where's the cockpit?" He muttered. He looked up and down the body of the massive ship, but saw nothing resembling a cockpit.

He shrugged and shifted his ship back to Standby Mode. The blades pointed straight out as he prepared to ram.

He flew up the curve of the belly of the ship, and then, his scanners picked up the weak point.

He flew around, performing a barrel roll to the side, and flew straight at the point.

The energy swords sliced through the ship, sending its particles through the hull to weaken the steel in general. The Lancelot flew through, continuing to use the blades to cut through the now weakened steel, giving his ship no actual damage.

"Goodbye." He said.

The Lancelot flew through the core of the ship, sending energy surging through the core of the ship, overloading the reactor, and setting it to be a deathtrap.

The Lancelot kept going, and came out the other side as a trail of fire followed it.

He span around, putting distance between himself and the massive ship. The remaining fighters were confused, and started to pursue.

Alistair's fingers danced on the controls, and extra thrusters emerged. The Lancelot flew through space at ten times the speed it had earlier, leaving the fighters to be thrown about and destroyed in the tumultuous flames of the explosion.

Eva watched the massive warfare. The Earth had deployed more and more fighters, even using the nearby _Avalon_ and _Mordred_ to fire on the ships. The battle was chaotic with few Earth fighters going down, few Crogs or Crog based ships, and many, many, enemies.

She saw a white flash, and the Lancelot was back. Its blades, now in Wing Mode, cut through a handful of ships as it flew towards the _Freedom_ for refueling.

"I took out the carrier." Was broadcast along every channel from Alistair, "These are the last of the current forces."

"Understood." Eva muttered. She opened fire, taking out two more ships. She was trying to go in for kills, but couldn't bring herself to do it. She still only tried to cripple their ships.

Another ship came beside her and opened fire. The pilot opened communication lines with her, "Go in for the kill!" He yelled.

"I can't! It's not in my nature!" She yelled back.

"Do it!" He yelled. He fired, but a volley of shots from the ship he fired on strafed his ship, blowing it apart.

She was shaken by the death, so close to her.

She opened fire, destroying the ship that had killed him.

Aikka and Kratos lay scattered from each other, both bodies battered and bloodied from Aikka's attack.

The officer and other domestic forces were already seizing Kratos, pulling him away to imprison him, while the Nourasians helped get Aikka up, and rushed him to a doctor.

Aikka coughed up blood, "Did I get him?"

"You did." One of the knights said.

"Good." He went back under.

Zhrog, up in space on the Crog ship dubbed the Kramm, received a report.

He contacted General Salzor, "It seems there's been a little trouble down on Emproga." He reported.

"What trouble?" Salzor asked.

"A mysterious warrior. He nearly killed King Aikka, but they were both taken out by the King's magic."

Salzor nodded, "I'll go back to the planet next trip, after this battle."

Zhrog nodded, "I'll see you there."

Salzor cut the communication line from his end. He looked back into space, at the battle that was coming to an end.

He pulled up another set of controls, and contacted Earth, to Nereus.

"What?" The Secretary of Defense demanded.

"I have to inform you of the latest casualties." Salzor replied.

"What of them?" Nereus demanded, "I don't care about casualties."

"You will." He replied, "Two former Black Sigma were killed."

Nereus's expression showed his disbelief, his hatred.

"Damn it." He muttered, holding back his true anger.

"What do you want to do?" Salzor asked.

"You're the General, you figure it out." Nereus replied, "Just make a good move, and make sure no others die."

"They were our only two anyway." Salzor replied, "So it's only army personnel now."

"Understood." Nereus nodded.

Salzor cut the line.

He looked back at the battles raging in space around them, and saw the Lancelot re-deploy.

The Lancelot shot through scores of enemies, destroying them all.

Alistair smirked, "All ships, this is the Lancelot, stand down."

Eva felt relaxed when Alistair and his Lancelot returned to the battle.

Alistair sat relaxed in his white ship which shone like a beacon to all in the battle. He closed his eyes and began pressing the familiar buttons for weapons configurations, and soared into combat.

He sliced through five ships with his blades, and allowed his weapons to swivel and fire, taking out scores of ships with its advanced artificial intelligence.

Nereus watched with interest, and saw flashes coming from the Lancelot.

"Soul Drive." He said. Although, he wondered how Alistair could access it. He looked to the Whizzing Arrow IV and remembered the need to get one into that ship.

The Lancelot didn't shine, but only glowed slightly from points of the hull. The ship shot forward and cut apart more and more ships with slashes from the twin blades.

The Lancelot continued to move from ship to ship with incredible speeds, and soon, the entire fleet was destroyed.

The Lancelot hung in space, then Alistair broadcast to all channels, "The threat is contained for the moment. Return to your docking bays."

Every fighter started to pilot their ships back to their respective hangers, leaving the Lancelot as the last too return from the debris floating all across the vast reaches of space.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Reveal

As the _Galahad_ headed down to the planet surface, the man known as Kratos was being dragged out in chains, as a prisoner to await interrogation.

A unit followed General Salzor and Lieutenant Zhrog into the prison, an armed escort against the resilient prisoner.

Kratos sat in chains, desperately trying to free himself, but was unsuccessful.

"Who are you?" Zhrog demanded as they entered.

Kratos didn't answer. He still struggled.

Salzor glared at Kratos, "I believe you were asked a question. I'd answer it-especially since it was a Crog asking."

Kratos stopped for a moment, "Crog?" He asked, confused, "What's a Crog?"

Zhrog slammed his fist down, shattering the table into wooden fragments, "Me!"

Kratos looked him over and shrugged, "Unimpressive."

Zhrog's fake eye narrowed as he glared at the prisoner, red light glaring onto Kratos, "You think we Crogs are unimpressive?" He picked up a battle axe weapon and leveled the blade at Kratos's face, less than a hair's width away.

"I do." Kratos simply replied.

Salzor looked to Zhrog, "He's only trying to rattle you. Don't let him get to you-you may accidently kill him."

Zhrog lowered the weapon, "Who are you?"

"Kratos." Kratos simply replied.

"What are you? Human?" Salzor asked.

Kratos shrugged, "Why should I answer such a question?"

"Are you human?" Salzor asked him.

"No." Kratos replied.

"What are you doing on this planet?" Zhrog demanded.

The image burned into his mind came out in a word, "Eva."

Salzor and Zhrog looked to each other, "A pilot I have." Salzor answered to Kratos.

"The winner of the Great Race of Oban." Zhrog said.

Kratos nodded slowly, "Eva." Bloodlust was still present in his mind.

Salzor walked over to an officer, "Bring her here."

The officer saluted and ran off.

Aikka lay in a white hospital room. His body was covered in long bandages that were stiff and stained with his blood. His body was covered with few external wounds, but more were made to help relieve the internal wounds and bleeding.

Luna stayed at his side; some Nourasian Knights were around, just to protect their King. Canaan was outside the door, waiting.

One of his hands were clasped in hers as he slept. He wasn't able to respond without bringing himself pain, so he slept.

There were two swift knocks at the door and Canaan's voice, "Lady Luna, there is a visitor."

"Who is it?" She asked softly.

"Eva."

"Let her in." Luna told him.

The door opened and Eva came in. "I wanted to see if he was ok." She told Luna.

Luna nodded, "I'll leave you some privacy." She kissed him on the cheek quickly and got up, leaving the room.

Eva watched her go and had a pit in her stomach. She knew Aikka was a King and deserved someone like Luna, but it didn't help to watch.

She sat down and watched him sleep, praying he would be ok.

"Allow me to give you a contingent of men Milady." Canaan said.

Luna shook her head, "No. I'll be fine on my own."

Canaan nodded, "Ok. Be careful."

"I'll be back soon. Don't worry." Luna replied as she walked down the hallway of the hospital.

She decided to return to the housing that Aikka and his personal contingent-including Canaan and herself with a series of Knights-to wait for Eva to depart.

She moved through the streets of Emproga. Eyes of the curious followed her, but she ignored the feeling.

She bumped into someone and looked up at him to apologize.

Alistair.

He quickly apologized to her in the way seeming fit, "I beg pardon Milady." He said.

"Formality doesn't suit you." She replied flatly as she kept walking.

He took a hold of her arm, "Lady Luna, a word?"

She pulled her arm free, "Why?"

"Why are you on this planet?" He asked her. "Why are you here in the battle? Surely a Lady such as yourself wouldn't want to come here."

"I wanted to be near my future husband." She answered.

He nodded, "Aikka is a lucky man then."

"I must be going." She said and started to walk away.

"Do I make you feel uncomfortable?" He asked her.

She stopped where she stood. Her white dress just skimmed the pavement as she twirled to face him.

"Well?" He asked.

"To be honest, yes." She replied.

He shrugged, "Fine then. I'll be going." He turned to walk the other way.

She was surprised by his answer and quickly spoke, "What?" She asked in confusion.

He turned to smile back at her, "I am a gentleman after all. I'm respecting your wishes and leaving you alone."

"Wait!"

"Yes?" He asked.

She couldn't find the words.

"A drink?" He asked.

She nodded, "Yes."

He smiled to himself. It was easier than he thought.

A soldier burst into the room with Canaan behind him.

Aikka didn't wake. Eva turned, "What is it?"

"You've been requested Eva." The soldier said, "Come with me."

She looked back one more time at Aikka, and then followed him.

"Why have I been requested?" She asked on the way as they were driven in a military transport.

"You'll see when we arrive." He replied on the way back.

In minutes they were back. He led her into the prison block where General Salzor and Lieutenant Zhrog waited with the prisoner Kratos.

Kratos glared at her and smiled, "Eva." He said.

"Who are you?" She asked him.

"You're the object of my desire…burned into my mind." He stood up and flexed, exerting power enough to shatter the chains.

Salzor and Zhrog pulled guns on him, but he stepped forward and lunged for Eva.

He stood before her as their guns were inadvertently trained on her. He held both arms out, his left hand as a palm and his right a fist with his thumb pointing towards his palm.

Magic swirled around his palm and a hilt of a sword emerged. He pulled his European sword free and put it before himself, facing the two.

"If you try to fire on her, you will both feel my steel." He threatened.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Eva asked him quickly.

"Protecting you, as ordered." Kratos replied.

"Ordered?" Salzor demanded, peering over the barrel on his handgun, "Ordered by who?" He yelled.

"Avatar Jordan." Kratos replied. He eyed his opponents, "Who's first?"

Eva found her voice, "Kratos…stand down."

He looked back at her, and straightened himself. He sheathed his sword with a click of it against the scabbard.

"Avatar Jordan sent you?" Salzor asked.

Kratos nodded, "He sent me to protect Eva. I'll only protect her. Know that."

Eva felt uncomfortable, "Kratos, there's no need to protect me."

"But there is." He replied.

"Why?" She asked him.

"It's my duty." He replied, "I am your knight."

Knight.

She felt it strange that he had used that word, but put it off as coincidence.

Or was it a joke on Jordan's part?

It didn't matter to her.

"I have to go." She said, "I have to go back and check on Aikka since you made me leave all of a sudden."

"I shall accompany you." Kratos told her.

She considered it for a moment, "Ok Kratos, come on."

Aikka woke with Canaan by his bedside.

"Where is Lady Luna?" Aikka asked weakly.

"Eva came so she left."

"And Eva?" Aikka asked.

"A soldier came for her." Canaan replied.

Aikka sat up against the headboard, "And Luna hasn't returned yet?"

"No." Canaan replied.

"Where is she?"

"Our residence."

Aikka struggled to his feet, "I'm going to go and find her."

"Why?"

"I have a bad feeling."

"Alistair?" Canaan asked.

"I fear as much." Aikka replied, "I fear that he's with her."

"And you fear he could take her from you." Canaan said.

Aikka nodded.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Mounted Assault

The hallways of the hospital were empty as Eva and Kratos came through them, looking for any signs of the Nourasians.

"There's no one here." Kratos stated.

"I can tell." Eva replied. She looked into the room that was Aikka's, but he was gone as well.

"Come on." She said, pulling Kratos along.

"Where are we going?" He questioned.

"To the Nourasian residence." She replied, "I'm sure we'll find Aikka and the others there."

"Aikka?" Kratos asked, "Who is he anyway?"

"He's the King of Nourasia." Eva told him.

"King of Nourasia." He stated back, "I fought with him."

She turned to him, "You fought with Aikka?"

"That's how I ended up in custody." He replied, "He defeated me."

"So, you're the one who put him in the hospital." Eva said, taking a step back, "Why did you attack him? Didn't Jordan show you right and wrong? Who to and not to attack?"

"Avatar Jordan." He corrected her, "And he only sent me with the order to protect you. Nothing else."

"Then what, does he expect me to teach you?" Eva muttered, "Figures he wouldn't do the job all the way, even as the Avatar."

Kratos looked around as they left the hospital. He stopped and looked at an alleyway, drawing his blade with a sound of steel ringing through the air.

"What is it?" She asked, turning. She sighed with relief at the sight of a soldier.

"It's ok, put down your weapon." The soldier said as he approached. He looked warily at Kratos, who didn't sheath his blade.

He looked to Eva, "Something's happened."

"What?" She asked, concerned now.

"They got through the barricade." He replied, "Some of their forces reached  
Emproga. We need the pilots."

She looked to Kratos, "Come on, Kratos. We have to move."

He sheathed his blade and followed the two of them as they ran through the alley towards the awaiting truck.

"How's your drink?" Alistair asked, sitting at the barstool next to Luna.

She sipped the bitter, fruity looking drink that Alistair had ordered for her. A chill went down her spine at the taste of it.

She pushed it across the bar. Alistair chuckled as he sipped his drink, "Not to your taste?"

"Bitter." She muttered.

He pushed his drink aside, "Why did you actually agree to come?" He asked her.

She shrugged, "I don't know…you just seem like an interesting person."

"Yet I make you feel uncomfortable." Alistair put in. "That's odd. I make you feel uncomfortable, but you still find me interesting. I don't follow that."

She shrugged, "I just can't explain it." She simply said, trying her drink again. She grimaced as she took a sip of the bitter drink.

Alistair grinned. He took a sip of his drink, and looked back towards the door as it swung open.

King Aikka, in full Nourasian King armor-which consisted of a chest plate, shoulder armor that sloped out and curved down, and some armor on his legs, along with a white cape trailing down from his armor.

He ran over, revealing the sword on his belt to Alistair. The dagger under his cape, on the back of his waist wasn't visible to anyone.

He pushed Alistair off of his barstool, so he could stand by his fiancée. He took her hand, "Let's go, Lady Luna."

She stood up and kept a grip on his hand, following him towards the exit.

Alistair followed them, "Hey, Aikka!"

Aikka turned around, "What is it Alistair?" He demanded.

He smiled, "You've got a great fiancée there."

Aikka nodded and led Luna out.

As the ships were entered, they flew towards the sea on the outskirts of the capital city of Emproga.

"What is it?" Eva asked from the Whizzing Arrow IV.

"I don't know." Their commanding officer replied, "I'll try to contact the General."

After a few minutes of flying towards their goal, they got the response from General Salzor.

"We don't know anything." He confirmed, "Just be ready. And if needed, a Crog contingent will accompany you, if you need backup."

"Understood." The commanding officer said, broadcasting on all stations so all of the soldiers could hear.

They finally arrived at their destination and slowed down, looking at the sea.

On it were large crimson spheres. They were about fifteen feet in diameter, and had smaller circles on parts of them.

As the spheres rolled through the water, the soldiers sat, waiting for orders.

"Hold your fire." The commanding officer said, waiting.

As the first one reached shore, the circles opened, revealing large legs coming out. They started out onto the land, carrying it like some sort of spider.

The large sphere opened, revealing mechanical eyes and screens, as well as the cockpit entrance, and weaponry.

"Open fire!" The command came.

The ships opened fire, firing their laser bolts forward at the machine.

The blasts bounced harmlessly off of it as it started towards the road.

"Fire on the ones still in the water!" The command came next, "We have to stop them here!"

The ships flew over the sea, opening fire.

Eva questioned, "What about the escaping one? What do we do about it?"

Another ship flew in beside the Whizzing Arrow. It was Kratos.

He opened fire and slid the swords out, going in for the kill. He started to spin the ship, drilling through one of the moving spheres, destroying it as he flew back towards Eva.

"It'll be stopped." She got as an answer.

Kratos opened a communications link with her, "Stay back. Let me do the fighting." He told her.

"I can't let you fight alone!" She yelled.

"You only have cannons. They aren't enough." He said, "These blades are needed." He flew in at another.

While the one on land escaped, it slowly stopped at the sight of something.

It was a tall, ten to fifteen foot tall humanoid robot.

The pilot inside sneered, "Meet the new generation of weapon!" He yelled, opening fire with a charged particle gun.

The gun blew through the machine, destroying it.

The mech moved forward, "Only working prototype." The pilot said with a grin, "And it's all mine to use. One wrong move and the Crogs die."

An image displayed on the pilot's screen.

"Soldier, report." General Salzor said.

"The mech suit defense system is working perfectly." The soldier replied. "Energy levels are normal. No overheating or damage."

"In other words. It's perfect." Salzor finished.

"That it is, Sir." The soldier said with a salute.

"Very good." Salzor said, "Stay in it. If any more of those things get to the streets, destroy them."

"Will do." The soldier replied, switching communications off.

Alistair walked from the bar. He removed an earpiece and put it into his ear. He bent the receiver down.

"Alistair. Report." The voice said.

"Who are you?" Alistair questioned, "How do you have this frequency?"

"It's Nereus." The voice said.

Alistair continued to listen, but it was obvious Nereus wanted him to speak.

"Why are you contacting me?" He questioned.

"I wanted to learn how the situation is on Emproga." The Secretary of Defense replied.

"If you wanted to know that, you'd contact General Salzor."

"Yes, but he's of Spanish descent." Nereus replied, "I hate the Spanish."

"Yet you were mostly responsible for his rise in rank."

"I didn't say he wasn't a good soldier."

"Fine then. What do you want to know?" Alistair asked.

"The situation in general."

Alistair looked down the streets, at the battle out a few miles away. He could see some of the ships from here.

"Some of the as of yet unknown enemy has reached the planet." He replied. "Our forces are destroying them. And it would seem the mech suit was deployed."

"Excellent." Nereus replied, "It's working, right?"

"I wouldn't know. I'm away from the battle." Alistair replied.

"No matter." Nereus said, "Alistair, I want you to take the Lancelot and take it up to the _Avalon_."

"Why?" He asked.

"I'm sending some help. I want you to meet them as they arrive." Nereus replied.

"What help?" He questioned, "We have Nourasians helping as ground and sky personal, we have Crogs in all ways helping us. What help could you offer that could help us more than we have now?"

"My personal quad." Nereus replied.

"Your quad?" Alistair questioned, "Never heard of them."

"That's the point." Nereus replied, "But they're the best soldiers Earth has to offer. That's why they're my quad."

Alistair looked around, "Ok. I'll head up to meet them, as long as Salzor doesn't make me join the current battle."

"He won't." Nereus replied, "Now go!"

Alistair pulled it out of his ear and pushed it back into his pocket as he made his way towards the hangers.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: The Four Juggernauts

The spherical ships-which had survived Kratos's brutal assault-opened their slots.

Jets came from the openings, shooting the spheres back into the sky, and towards space.

"Don't let them escape!" The commander ordered, turning his ship skyward.

As they flew up, opening fire, the spheres shattered.

"Got them!" He yelled.

Kratos stayed by Eva's side as her guardian. He didn't open fire, knowing that blasts wouldn't do anything.

"If they're shattering," he told Eva, "it's of their own will."

"What do you mean?" She asked Kratos.

"Watch." He said.

As the armor fell down to the planet's surface, the main ships within were revealed.

The fighter ships that were commonly deployed.

"Shoot them down!" The commander ordered, flying into the fray with his blades deployed.

The ships turned and opened fire. While the swords took a series of blows, he was eventually overtaken, and his ship destroyed.

Kratos flew his ship into the heart of the enemies. He span around with blades deployed, cutting them down with the greatest of ease.

Eva watched him, feeling better about his security now. He was certainly capable, and this proved it.

The remaining ten ships flew farther up, into space.

"We have to pursue." A soldier said.

Eva moved her ship to pursue, and Kratos pulled up beside her, "Eva, return to the planet with me."

"I can't!" She yelled at him, "I'm a soldier."

"Fine." Kratos muttered, "I'm leading you up." He positioned his ship in front of hers, and flew straight up.

The ships were shortly joined by many more of the enemy fleet while the Earth forces flew to engage them.

"This doesn't look good." Eva muttered to herself. She looked out the window, seeing the familiar form of the Lancelot.

The Lancelot cut through scores of them with ease, not taking a single shot.

"Why is Alistair here?" She muttered, "We don't need him…"

They all looked farther into space, at the bright burst of light that appeared.

Laser bolts flew from the light, taking down ship after ship.

"What's that?" A soldier yelled over the intercom system.

"I wish I knew." Another said.

"Kratos, any idea?" Eva asked.

"None." He replied.

Alistair spoke, "Sorry to stop your conversation short, but they're Secretary of Defense Nereus's personal quad. No more discussion, just do your jobs."

As the quad flew closer, the firing increased, sending more ships to pieces.

They started to come into perspective. It was four normal sized ships.

One was small, armed with powerful cannons.

One was needle shaped, covered in petal like blades around the center of the body.

One was thickly armored and spherical, with two drills on the sides.

And the last was thin and had feathered wings. It looked completely stationary, unable to move anything on it. It looked more of decoration than actually needing wings.

"May I present the Odysseus, Corinna, Macbeth and Phaëton?" Alistair announced at their arrival.

The Odysseus moved closer, and a man came up on screen, "This is the pilot of the Odysseus." He said. He had short, black hair, cropped in military style. He was gruff looking and appeared muscular. "I'm here to take command of this battle."

"As you wish." Alistair replied, "You see the enemy clearly."

He nodded and switched off.

The Odysseus stayed mostly stationary, opening fire with its array of cannons, sending energy bolts through the dark space around them.

The Corinna moved quickly, impaling ship after ship, destroying them with ease.

The Macbeth's drills shot out, ripping ships apart like they were nothing.

And the Phaëton unleashed energy blasts from the feathers of the wings, which now moved up and down for a clear shot.

The remaining enemy ships flew back into formation and into the heart of the four new ships.

The Odysseus's pilot laughed, "Destroy them all!" He shouted.

The cannons, laser bolts from the Corinna's nose, the drills and the energy bullets ripped the small fleet apart, leaving no survivors, and almost nothing to distinguish what they once were.

"Mission complete." The pilot of the Odysseus said, "Return to Emproga for debriefing."

"I'll get my men together." A soldier, now in command, stated.

"No." The Odysseus's pilot replied, "You lot didn't do anything. No need to debrief."

"Did nothing?" He shouted in outrage, "We fought them off for days now! Now, you four show up and claim we did nothing? Even if we managed to do little in this fight, you've got some nerve!"

"What's your name, soldier?" The pilot asked.

"Corporal Piper." He replied.

"Well, we'll see to it that you're properly taken care of, Corporal Piper." The pilot said, "What do you three have to say."

"Nothing to defend him." The large pilot of the Macbeth said. Being second in command, he was the only to answer.

"As I thought." The Odysseus's pilot said. The energy cannons started to build up power as it faced Corporal Piper's ship, "Execution."

"What?" Piper yelled, trying to move. The energy cannons were faster, and left nothing in their wake.

"Now." The pilot said, "Any more objections to the way we do things?"

No one spoke. They knew better than that now.

"Good." He said, "Now, show us to General Salzor's quarters." He ordered, choosing a pilot.

The ship pulled in front of them and led them back towards Emproga.

Alistair came up on all screens, "Now that that's done, how about a drink everyone?"

General Salzor contacted Nereus at once. He pulled the monitor out and sent word back to Earth.

The quad's ships were waiting outside his compound, and he had important matters to attend to now that they had arrived.

"How's the plan going?" Nereus questioned.

"Now that they're here, we only need Alistair and Eva on our sides." He replied.

"I'm working on Alistair." Nereus replied, "Then, we can get Eva. With her ability to use the Soul Drive, she will be a valuable weapon."

"One problem." Salzor said, "She has a guardian."

"Well remove him then!" Nereus yelled at him.

"It's not that easy to remove this man." Salzor replied, "None of our domestic forces could put him down. King Aikka almost died putting him down with magic. He's too strong to be easily assassinated."

"Well then, figure something out. Or at the very least, keep him out of the way." Nereus replied.

"I'll do my best." Salzor replied.

"My quad?" Nereus asked.

"In position."

"Your role?"

"Almost done." Salzor replied, "It'll be initiated in about ten minutes."

"Then I'll do mine as well at the same time." Nereus replied. "The room is finished."

"Then there isn't much left to do." Salzor replied.

"No." Nereus told him with a sinister grin, "Soon it all ends."

"But what should we do at Emproga?" Salzor asked.

"You figure that out." Nereus replied, "Leave it. Destroy it. I don't care. As long as you're back and ready to be the backbone of my plan."

"Don't worry." Salzor told him, "We'll be back in time."

"Excellent." Nereus replied, "Because we can only fight off resistance for so long, should any arise."

"Don't worry about the threat of resistance. It'll be crushed underfoot as it should be." Salzor assured him.

"It had better be. I don't think that even the operational mech suits would last long enough, should help arise from another country. You'd better just be back to stop that from happening." Nereus replied, cutting the connection from his end.

Avatar Jordan floated on Oban, watching the events unfold across the universe at Emproga.

"I don't like it." He murmured to himself.

"What is it, Avatar?" A Creator asked as it appeared.

"There's something new." He said, "Something very off about Emproga, beyond the obvious "Gate" stuff that you Creators keep talking about."

"What seems to be wrong?" The Creator asked, "I may be able to help."

"It's not something specific." Jordan told him, "It's just…the entire feel of things. It seems someone is scheming something, and I don't like it."

"What do you think the problem is, exactly? Who's scheming, and for what?" The Creator asked.

He shook his head, "I don't know. I don't know who or what. And that's what scares me."

"You did send the Knight Stone." The Creator reminded.

"But the Stone is a double edged sword." Jordan replied, "And I feel that other edge pressing against me."

"What do you think it is that you feel?"

"I don't know." He replied, looking over the edge of the temple, "But I think it's something from Oban itself."

"From here?"

"Yes."


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Turning Point

The unit sat in the bar, drinking and celebrating. Not for the victory, but for finally being able to drink. They were toasting that to Alistair.

Kratos and Eva sat in a booth on the far side of the bar. Kratos looked curiously at the drink that he had been given. He looked to Eva, "You don't want anything?"

"I'm not of age." She replied.

He nodded and looked back at his drink. He took the glass and took a sip of it. He looked at it, and pushed it across the table.

"Not to your taste?" Alistair asked as he walked over.

"No." Kratos replied.

Alistair slapped him on the back as he took the drink. He shrugged, "No use letting it go to waste." He said as he drank it down.

"Now what are we supposed to do, Alistair?" Eva asked.

Alistair set the empty glass on the table, "We just wait." He replied, "Wait for the next attack."

"Do you think this will even end soon?" She asked.

"Who knows?" He said with a shrug, "This military operation could take years to complete. Even with Crog and Nourasian forces."

Kratos climbed to his feet suddenly, offsetting the table.

"What is it?" Eva asked him with alarm.

"There's something wrong." He said. He grabbed the sword that he had leaning against the wall, and thrust it into his belt loop. "Eva, we must go somewhere where I can better protect you."

"Why?" She questioned quickly, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know." He replied, "Just that something is very wrong here."

Alistair looked around, "Sit down Kratos. With all these soldiers and you here, Eva is safe."

"I don't trust all of these men." Kratos said. In a flash, his sword was in hand, the point leveled at Alistair's face, "And I trust you least of all."

Secretary of Defense Thomas Nereus walked out of the room he was in. He took long military strides down the hallway, and then stopped.

He saw the door opening, and President William Vanel stepping out. Vanel turned to look at Nereus.

In one swift move, Nereus had his sidearm in hand, and fired once.

The gun he always carried, out of old habit, may have incriminated him as the assassin who killed the President, but that didn't matter. He would control everything now.

He took two strides past the fallen corpse, and rolled it over. He removed the keycard and access chip that the President carried, and walked off.

He had diplomats to contact.

Salzor stood at a rounded console that stood in the center of the room. He pressed a few buttons on it, and was waiting.

The doors slid open and the other military leaders of the mission walked in. "What is it, General?" One asked him, "Why have we all been called here?"

"I was busy working on new ship plans with Don Wei." Another said, "Make this quick."

Salzor stayed on the opposite side of the console as he walked back and forth, pacing in front of them, "Gathered men of military stature. I'm afraid your services are no longer needed." He simply said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" One demanded.

Salzor reached out and pressed a button on his side of the console, "Goodbye."

The doors around the room sealed, making the room airtight, except for the vents.

They opened, spilling purple gas into the room.

"You'll die too!" One yelled at him. Two others were trying to hack the console to get the doors open.

"No I won't." Salzor said, removing a small cylindrical item, about the size of a man's fist. He put it over his mouth. Two straps came out, which allowed him to tie it off. A clear section came off the top, securing over his nose.

"Have fun in death." Salzor said, giving them a mock salute.

One man tore the medals from his uniform and plowed them together, managing to make a crude looking knife. The point, although, looked enough to kill.

He lunged across the room at the traitorous General, ready to take him with them.

Salzor stepped back. The room had no weapons, and all of them, including the General himself, were forced to remove handguns, knives, and anything else before entering the room.

The blade slashed, just missing his throat. Salzor stumbled back and reared a leg up to his chest. He slammed it forward, kicking the man across the room.

The mist now covered the top of the room. It would be nearly thirty seconds before the air, no matter where it was taken from, would have enough traces of poison in it to kill.

The knife slashed again. It cut Salzor across the chest this time, leaving a thin line of blood welling up.

Salzor tackled him, trying to strangle him to death. Two more men ran at him, trying to get him off and kill him themselves.

One more man ran to his side of the console, trying to stop the gas or open the doors. Apparently the guards were gone, or with Salzor, since they didn't try to enter at the sounds of the commotion.

Salzor managed to squirm away from them and get across the room. One more man leapt for him, getting his powerful hands around Salzor's throat.

As he started to black out, the grip loosened, and the body fell to the floor.

Salzor got up and looked at the dead bodies. He walked over and pressed a button, stopping the gas flow, and turning fans on to remove the gas.

As soon as it was gone, he contacted Nereus once more.

"It's done." He reported.

"On my end too." Nereus replied.

Salzor tore the mask off, "Now what?"

"Phase Two." Nereus said, switching it off.

Salzor walked over to the door and pushed it open. His two guards flanked him, leaving the mess of bodies in the room behind.

"Is it done?" One asked.

"It is." Salzor replied. He led them into the next room, "Go open the next door. In case any guards were with them, I want them silenced."

"Yes sir!" They both ran forward, carrying their energy rifles towards the door.

As the door slid open, they stepped out, seeing nothing.

Behind them, Salzor lifted a handgun that was hidden at the panel at his side. He drew it out and took aim, firing two quick energy bolts.

The two soldiers fell to the ground, having been struck at the back of the neck-the only spot they didn't have armor. Neither from the body armor, nor the helmet.

He walked over their bodies, "I can't have anybody talking." He said. He pulled on the body armor of one of them, and took the helmet, taking the security of the armor.

He holstered the handgun on the back of his belt. He took up one of the rifles and moved on.

After all, taking control of Emproga would involve hard work.

And hard work was something that was finally paying off before his eyes.

He saw the quad's ships outside, and the army ships and the working mech suit prototype.

"Move out!" He commanded.

The ships moved forward, heading out to take control of Emproga.

And to lay waste to the Crog forces.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Betrayal

Alistair looked outside of the bar. He had kept his men inside as he went into the street.

Kratos knew something was wrong, and he wasn't going to doubt that powerful alien warrior's intuition.

He looked around and saw a soldier running towards him. He stopped and spoke, "Alistair, General Salzor wants you."

"For what?" He asked.

"His new order." The soldier replied, "He's taking this planet by force. Now we don't have to work with the Crogs! We're putting all of our effort into crushing them and then the unknown threat! Isn't that great?"

"No." Alistair replied.

"That's too bad." He said, shaking his head. He put his hands in his pockets. His right hand gripped a small cylindrical device.

A laser knife.

"What?" Alistair questioned.

The soldier lunged forward, using the laser blade. Alistair span to the side of the small, six inch blade and rammed his elbow into the man's face.

He stumbled and lost his grip on the weapon. He turned and lunged for Alistair.

Alistair jumped to the side and kicked him hard, sending him into the wall of a building. The man reached for his sidearm at his belt.

Alistair grabbed the knife from the back of his belt and slashed forward twice, cutting him once.

The soldier rolled and took aim, firing.

Alistair felt he burn over his right shoulder. He groaned in pain and lunged the blade forward.

He rammed the dagger through the soldier's chest and threw him to the ground. He slid the weapon into the sheath and looked at the dead soldier.

"This isn't good." He muttered, rolling the body over. He looked back at the laser knife, "But this man was a fool. He wasn't a real soldier. If this is what Salzor is using as troops, he's going to lose this war he's igniting."

He grabbed the man's arm and dragged him into an alley. He dropped the body and walked over him, taking the laser knife. He walked inside.

He looked at the soldiers. There were only about twenty of them.

That wasn't enough for a war.

If he could get to the Crogs or Nourasians, he may have a chance against Salzor's attack.

He knew they were all armed with a handgun of some sort-laser or otherwise-and carried a knife of some sort. Blade or laser. It didn't matter.

He didn't know how capable they all were, or if they would even stay at his side. That would be the problem.

He walked over towards Eva and Kratos, "There is something wrong." He breathed, "General Salzor has apparently taken control. He plans on taking out the Crogs."

"Is that a bad thing exactly?" Kratos questioned.

"He's changed all the military plans. A soldier tried to kill me since I wouldn't go along with it. I just killed him outside." He drew the laser knife out and rolled it across the table towards Eva, "Take that as a weapon."

She triggered it, looking at the laser blade. She switched it off and shoved it into her pocket, "I don't think I could fight." She said.

"I'm here." Kratos assured her. He looked to Alistair, "So, what do we do?"

"I don't know." He replied, shaking his head, "I don't know."

"What's the situation exactly?" Eva asked, "I mean, are they swarming the streets? Have they openly rebelled yet?"

"They don't seem to be in the streets." Alistair told them, "But as for open rebellion, I'm not sure."

The doors burst open with an armed guard of six. They wore heavy armor and held high powered laser rifles, all aimed at the assembled soldiers.

"Under orders of General Salzor, you men are to come with us for new orders. But first, the first order is the execution of Private Alistair J. Wilde." The lead soldier said, training his rifle on Alistair.

Alistair grabbed the table and threw it down, dropping behind it as they opened fire. He rolled and ran towards the back door.

"Don't join them!" He yelled to the soldiers under his care, "They'll only turn on you too!" He yelled as he burst through the door.

"After him!" The lead soldier barked. Two men pursued. He looked to the other three men, "Get these men escorted back, in case anything goes wrong with the Crogs or Nourasians."

The three motioned for the soldiers to follow, which they warily did.

The lead soldier moved towards Kratos and Eva, "Now, under orders of General Salzor…" He lifted his rifle towards Kratos, "You are to be executed, and the girl is to be taken."

"What are you going to take me for?" Eva demanded.

"Re-educating so you'll willingly assist us."

Kratos lunged forward and drew his blade. He slashed, coming up a scant inch short.

The soldier stumbled back and fired.

Kratos was faster and was able to dodge to the side. He lunged forward, going in for the kill.

He drew a laser knife and dodged. He rolled behind Kratos and popped up, opening fire.

Kratos parried with his blade. He struggled as he was slowly being pushed back.

Eva shot her hand into her pocket, feeling around for the laser knife. She finally got a grip on the cold steel item and drew it.

She pressed the activation button and ran forward, ramming it under his left arm, towards his heart.

The armor didn't protect him from the laser knife, and he crumpled to the ground.

She thrust it back into her pocket and took his laser knife, keeping that one as well.

Kratos ran over, "We have to go." He said.

"I know." She replied, "But where?"

Alistair ran for his life. He could see energy bolts flying all around him.

He slid to a stop and ran down the next alley.

He didn't know how far he had run, or where he could go. He figured, if he could reach the Lancelot, he would have a fighting chance.

He slid to a stop as he reached an outlet of the sea. He looked back at the two soldiers, taking aim at him.

They fired, striking him once in the back as he leapt in. They ran over and fired straight down a few times, before Alistair's jacket, riddled with holes and bloodstained, came up.

"It would be clichéd for us not to search for a corpse, in case he's alive." One said.

"I know." The other said, taking his armor off. He leapt in and swam down, armed with only a laser knife.

In moments, blood came to the surface, and then, Alistair's body, the knife plunged into it.

"Got him." The soldier said, throwing him onto the shore, "He's dead."

The other soldier kicked him once and nodded, satisfied, "Let's go." He said.

The other soldier started to pull his gear back on and ran to catch up to his companion, leaving the corpse of the Avatar's brother behind.

Crog Tridents and Nourasians on their insect mounts patrolled the skies, opening fire on the attacking Earth ships.

A Trident cut two through, but was then blown apart by a blast from the Odysseus.

Nourasians flew, throwing spears or shooting arrows at the ships. They managed to do damage to engines and cockpits, but weren't able to complete the kill, and were in turn, taken down.

The quad flew in formation, strafing the ground and destroying anything that appeared to be a threat on the ground below.

Kratos looked around the corner at all of this happening. He pulled back, looking at Eva, "Stay down and follow me." He said, "If we can get to the base I was held at, we can fly out of here."

"But my father is still here!" Eva snapped at him, "So are my friends! His friends too! We can't just flee and leave them to their fates!"

"Your father-Don Wei-your mechanic friends-Stan and Koji-and your other friend-Rick-can't come." He said. When she gave him a look, he replied, "Avatar Jordan told me these things."

"But we have to save them!"

"And I'm saying we can't."

"Too bad." Eva said, "I'm not leaving this planet until we find and help them! Along with Aikka, Canaan, and…Luna." Though she hated to admit that at the end.

Kratos looked out again, and at his blade. "Fine." He said, "I'll see how many of them I can take down with my blade. And we'll see if we can rescue them all."

"Thanks Kratos." She said.

He pulled her along a different way, "We can't cut straight through there. That would be suicide."

"Right."

He pulled her along and through a back alley.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Point of No Return

"What's going on?" Luna asked Aikka as he rushed around, drawing his bow onto a shoulder with his quiver. He secured his sword at his hip.

Canaan was also bustling around, getting a sword ready with other supplies.

Two knights entered the room, "See to it that Lady Luna is protected." Aikka said as he reached the door, "Don't let anyone near her."

"What are you going to do?" A knight asked.

"We're going to be sure the Crogs are still with us, and then, stop the Earth forces, which seem to have betrayed us all." Aikka responded. He looked to Luna, "We don't know. We can only guess the Earth forces have betrayed us all."

"They betrayed us?" She asked softly.

"I don't know." Aikka replied, "It seems like the military has chosen a new allegiance. They've chosen themselves."

"What exactly does that mean?" Luna asked, "That they've chosen themselves?"

"They've abandoned the cause." Aikka replied, "They're fighting for themselves only. They've abandoned the truce."

He looked outside at the moving ships and soldiers of the Earth forces. He saw Crogs engaging them.

Crogs were able to overpower most of the soldiers with large axes, using their armor to take hits. They cut through scores of soldiers, but were killed by attacking Class A ships and the mech suit.

He saw the Macbeth flying through, taking buildings down with its drills and crushing various forces.

He saw that the Nourasians and Crogs were still in league, using any Nourasian magic with the Crogs brute force and Tridents.

They could overcome most forces, except for the strongest of the Class A ships, the mech suit, and the quad's forces.

The mech moved into view and opened fire with a charged particle gun.

The blast tore through the ranks of the Crog and Nourasian forces, obliterating them with the greatest of ease.

Kratos pulled Eva along, and then they stopped, letting these soldiers and ships move by after exterminating Crog and Nourasian forces.

"How good are our chances do you think?" Eva asked Kratos.

"I don't know." Kratos replied, "They're strong here." He said, "We can see that easily." More soldiers on foot passed, "If we're swift, I can take out most of them. But we have nowhere to go from here."

Eva looked around, seeing an empty warehouse across the street. It was two houses behind the street, but they could make it.

"Kratos, if you can attack and get us through, alive, we can hide there." Eva said, pointing to it.

"Right." He said, "We could easily defend that."

He held his hand out, "Give me one of the knives."

She handed him one of the cylinders. He activated it and drew his blade. "Now!" He ran out.

He cut through soldier after soldier with ease. He plunged the laser knife into a soldier and tore it free.

In the panic, Eva ran through after him, reaching the other side of the street.

"Fire on him!" A commander yelled, "Leave the girl!"

They opened fire, but Kratos and Eva were already away.

They cut through the lock of the warehouse door and broke inside.

A blaster went off at them, but no more shots came.

"You two!" Alistair yelled, running over, "I'm glad to see you!"

They saw the Lancelot behind him, "I thought I heard one say you were dead." Kratos said.

"They stabbed me, but didn't kill me." He replied, "I slowed my pulse with an old trick." He said.

"Well, at least we have some help now." Kratos stated. He looked at the Lancelot, "How'd you get it?"

"I snuck back into the hanger and piloted it right out. No one saw me at the moment, so I won't be suspected alive for a time now. I'm sure we can go back for the Whizzing Arrow IV and another ship in the meantime."

Kratos nodded, "If we increase our firepower, we can get away a bit more easily."

"Get away?" Alistair questioned.

Eva came between them, "Kratos wants the two of us to get off the planet and leave everything behind."

"I must protect you." Kratos insisted.

"My brother may be Avatar." Alistair said, "But he wouldn't want this. And aren't you working for the Avatar?"

"I was ordered by the Avatar to protect Eva." He replied, "So my orders go beyond what you say."

Alistair stormed off towards the Lancelot, "Fine! We go, I buy you two time, and you two get off this planet!"

His angry words echoed through the warehouse. After they stopped, only silence remained.

"I'm staying." Eva told him. "I'm staying to help, no matter what Kratos says."

Alistair looked at her, and then to Kratos, "I've seen you pilot." He told Kratos, "You think you can help us take care of the quad?"

"Of course." He replied, taking a step forward, "Their piloting skills are nothing compared to mine."

"Let's put that to the test, then." Alistair told him, "I'll cover you two. Kratos, you break in with your blade and get to the Whizzing Arrow IV and another ship. Then you two meet me, we cover our tracks, and meet here. Then we have to find the Nourasian and Crog delegations and align ourselves with them. Understood?"

"It'll take time to find the Arrow." Eva said.

"Can you find something else?" Kratos asked.

"I'm a natural pilot, but I wouldn't do well in another fighter ship." She replied. "I did fine in the Lancelot, but that was…"

"The Soul Drive." Alistair told her, "It helped you pilot it. If you want, you can take the Lancelot-I can't use the Soul Drive."

She shook her head, "No. The Lancelot is yours."

"Ok." He climbed in. "Get in."

The two of them climbed in, getting behind the cockpit seat. It was cramped, but they made it work.

The Lancelot took off and flew through the far doors, shooting beyond the patrolling military and towards the hangers.

The military ships turned from their patrol and shot towards the Lancelot, opening fire.

"Hold on." Alistair said, throwing the ship into a barrel roll.

The blades extended, parrying the energy bolts. The blades folded up to the nose of the ship, and it drilled through two of the enemy ships.

The Lancelot stopped spinning, nearly throwing its passengers into the walls. It flew over the skyline of the nearby buildings and towards the hangers.

"We're making it." Alistair said. He looked back, but the ships were still scrambling. They didn't have time to pursue.

He put the ship down as they arrived and opened the cockpit, "Go. Hurry!"

The two of them ran out as Alistair took to the air once more to lay some covering fire.

As Kratos leapt into the first ship he could find, Eva ran off.

He took to the air, about to follow her overhead, but was fired upon.

The Lancelot came in, firing at the unseen attacker to help support Kratos.

"Thanks." Kratos said.

"No problem." Alistair relied, "Go cover Eva. I'll hold this guy off."

As Kratos's unmarked ship flew off, Alistair plunged the Lancelot at the other ship.

As he got closer, he saw the distinctive ship.

The Macbeth.

The pilot, large and muscular, laughed. He had a rough beard and was bald. He had a rough scar running over his right eye.

"Prepare to die Alistair." He hissed.

The first drill slammed forward through the air. The Lancelot proved faster, spinning to avoid it. He spread out his blades and shot forward.

The Macbeth easily dodged and slammed another drill out to its side.

The Lancelot was struck in the side and sent tumbling around in the air. It slowed to a stop and opened fire.

The Macbeth's heavy armor protected it as it slowly floated forward, getting ready for a double drill attack.

"Tell me." Alistair said, "Who's in charge? Who's giving these orders?"

"Nereus." The pilot replied.

On Earth, ambassadors from many planets waited in a rounded meeting room, awaiting President Vanel.

Queen Nori of Nourasia-who still held her title while Aikka was gone-, Spirit of the Phils, and many other ambassadors sat.

Nereus looked in. The podium at which Vanel was expected was ready. The elevator below it was functioning and secure.

"Only one ambassador didn't show up." An advisor told Nereus.

"Who?" He questioned.

"Raika of Venruel." He replied.

Nereus shrugged, "Raika doesn't really matter."

"So…will you begin?" His assistant asked.

"Yes." Nereus replied, walking in.

The deceased Vanel's body came up from the hidden elevator, raising him up in front of the podium.

Nereus stood at the side of the corpse.

"Why isn't he moving?" Nori asked.

"Why were we called here?" A squid like alien demanded in a bubbly aquatic voice.

"You are all here today for one reason." Nereus said. He pushed the body aside, letting it thump to the floor.

"He's already dead." Nereus told them all, "As will all of you."

The doors and windows around the room were sealed by heavy steel doors.

"Goodbye everyone." He said, "Your planets are ours for the taking. Be happy you'll be dead so you won't have to live it down."


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: The Macbeth Complex

"We won't let this stand!" An alien representative-one with grey tinged flesh and trailing white hair down his back, yelled, rising. He had a muscular frame and would be very appeasing to the eyes, likely by Earth women's eyes as well.

"Shikth, sit." Nereus said, drawing his handgun.

None of the representatives had weapons. They had all been removed upon entry into the room.

Spirit lunged forward. Nereus whipped to the side and opened fire, but the shapeshiter proved faster, changing rapidly to continually evade, and then, lunge at him as a giant spider.

Nereus hit the wall hard and stumbled aside. He turned and shot Spirit once in the chest, making the Phils representative slide to the ground.

He whipped his gun back towards the others, "Anyone else willing to try that?" He demanded.

Among the gathered representatives were also Shikth, representing the planet of Myrna. The alien wolf-who stood upright in a silver flight suit-which compensated for gravity changes between planets-known as Wolv. His fur was dark brown, and he had vicious fangs and claws. He was representing the planet of Ecren.

Queen Nori of Nourasia also sat amongst them. A smaller, Crog looking alien, about human sized, had a gray body, horns, and crimson battle armor. His name was Fiorn, from the hellish planet of Urgren.

Another notable member of the meeting was a large, crimson alien. He appeared Crog like in some aspects, but had over his large, muscular body, various tattoos, and two sets of stiff, crimson ears sticking straight up. He wore a robe from his waist down, covering parts of his legs.

He was the most frightening member of the council of ambassadors. Whereas Fiorn was from a hellish planet, this being was a demon in flesh.

His name was Skaythe. He rarely spoke, and when he did, he commanded everything.

Some summarized him as "No sound comes from his mouth, yet his word is law", whatever that meant was up to the individual hearing it.

"I have a message for all of you." Nereus said, "When our military finishes up at Emproga and destroys the Crog and Nourasian forces, as well as the new, mysterious enemy that the Crogs are losing against, they will come back, and lay waste to your planets from orbit. Now, I offer the chance for surrender now.

"What will you all say?"

Shikth rose, "I'll speak for us all." He growled, "We won't surrender our planets to you!"

Nereus nodded, "Well then." He hit a button on the podium, "Just wait to see the souls of everyone you once knew in…wherever you go."

Poison started to flood into the room, "Goodbye everyone." He said as he stood on the elevator, ready to leave everyone to their deaths.

The Macbeth's drills continued to bash the Lancelot side to side, throwing it out of the hanger and into open air.

Alistair fought for control and opened fire, just strafing his opponent. He didn't plan on destroying the Macbeth this way, but simply on buying time.

The pilot of the Macbeth-a man named Barda-plunged his ship forward towards Alistair.

More shots hit it from the side, making the Macbeth turn to face the new enemies.

An unmarked ship and the Whizzing Arrow IV floated at the side of the Macbeth, cannons aimed at it.

"Well, three on one." Barda said, "Sounds fair to me."

He fingered his controls, two arm controls, one on each side. They were like the controls that Rick had once used during his racing career.

Alistair broadcast his message over a closed channel to his two partners, "Ok. I know the Macbeth's control scheme. I managed to hack their terminals long ago and get some data on the Macbeth."

"Tell me." Kratos said, "I'll destroy it."

"Arm controls." He said, "There are buttons on it. First button is activated by the pinky, next by ring, and so on until thumb. The arm switches slide to the side, and he pushes them forward to activate the full range of drill controls. It takes four seconds before he can attack. We have that long before his drills rip us apart."

"Four seconds." Kratos said, "I can do that."

"No." Alistair said, "I will."

The Macbeth floated there, waiting for them to move and strike, but none of them did.

"I hate to break your conversation." Barda said, "But, the four seconds are true. However, if you attack me, we all die."

"What?" Eva yelled, "What do you mean?"

"My Macbeth is equipped with a cluster of black hole bombs." Barda sneered, "Play chicken with me, you all die! All of Emproga goes down!"

Alistair looked at his comrade's ships. "You two go. Do whatever you can. I can handle Barda."

Kratos and Eva flew off without arguing. They knew Alistair knew what he was doing.

Barda flew forward, activating his drills as he pushed his arms forward.

The drills rippled forward, spinning at high speeds.

The Lancelot dove under it and fired on the underbelly, but didn't do much damage.

The Lancelot span around as it got behind the Macbeth. The larger ship matched it move for move and flew forward, launching its drills forward.

The Lancelot span around, using its blades to slash at the drills. The attacks met and pushed into each other.

"How can his drills be stronger than my charged particles?" Alistair muttered through clenched teeth.

Barda yelled out, thrusting the drills again.

Alistair saw the answer.

He dove down and switched his blades off. He dove at the body of the Macbeth, seeing the rows of bombs strapped onto the body.

"It's over." Alistair muttered to himself.

He hoped it wouldn't be over for the planet, but only for his opponent.

He used a charged particle dispersion from the Lancelot, sending the wave of particles forward.

The drills struck the Lancelot head on, drilling over the top of it, taking some armor off. Alistair struggled for control, mainly to keep it in position.

The particles reacted strongly to the bombs, sizzling them, and disabling them.

"What?" Barda cried out as his systems started to go, and his bombs were disabled.

"Die!" Alistair yelled, thrusting the controls forward in his grip.

The Lancelot plunged forward and cut the Macbeth through, destroying it.

"One down, three to go." Alistair muttered. He drove the Lancelot outwards, trying to follow his partners trails.

Zhrog and his Crog forces pushed through the ranks of ground soldiers.

"Keep moving!" Zhrog ordered. He had a large battle axe strapped to his back, and a rifle in hand, picked up from a dead soldier.

"How much farther?" One Crog asked.

Steam hissed from various parts of Zhrog's body as he looked around, "Not much." He replied.

He looked at his team of commandos. In all, there were ten Crogs being led by him.

"We have to hope that the Crogs won't fall if we die." He replied. He saw Tridents battling, and mainly losing against the powerful Earth weaponry against the patched Tridents.

Zhrog and his forces pushed forward. They kept to the backstreets and alleys. They could see other Crogs and Nourasians teaming up under Aikka's orders, battling against the Earth forces.

"What if we fail?" One Crog asked.

Zhrog glared at him. His optical crimson eye narrowed.

"We won't." He replied, "And if we do, we surrender the Crogs to the humans." He growled, "And we can't allow that! The Crogs cannot fail!"

Aikka ducked into an alley and loaded another arrow from his quiver. He ducked out and fired, sending the powerful arrow flying forward.

The explosion of power sent soldiers flying, leveling the pitch between soldiers and knights.

He ducked again as a blast went over his shoulder, partially singing his armor.

He slowed his breathing to controlled levels and fired again, destroying a ship that came overhead.

He rolled, casting his quiver and bow aside as he ran for the closest soldier.

He fired, but Aikka rolled. He drew his sword, and in one swift move, cut him down.

He rolled and kicked the next one. He grappled with the man, throwing him over his shoulder by gripping his rifle.

Aikka span around and cut the barrel off another as the man tried to fire. The energy buildup went wild and blew up in the man's face.

Aikka rolled back and ran for his bow. He leapt over a man and slashed him in the back, dropping him quickly.

He picked up his bow and quiver, slinging them over his shoulder.

"Section clear." A Crog reported.

"Good." Aikka said, looking back out at the carnage and death.

"Time to push forward." He said. "We still have more liberating to do."

The Crog nodded and ran off ahead.

Aikka looked at his bow and remembered what he had always been told about the Nourasian archers, a rare history in the royal family.

Not many had the archery gift, but those who did had access to a great power.

He only wished that it wasn't only on Nourasia.

That power was locked away, and he couldn't reach it.

He pushed it out of his mind and ran off, following his squadron.

They would have to liberate the next area quickly.

The mech was there.

But, the question on Aikka's mind now was, where was Zhrog?


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The Flower's Dance

As the Whizzing Arrow and Kratos's unmarked ship moved through the ranks of startled military-their ships being blown apart-they reached side alleys.

"We each go one way." Eva said.

"I must protect you." Kratos reminded her.

"I said." Eva said, with a sigh, "We each go one way."

"If that is what you wish." Kratos replied, defeated by the will of the woman he was to protect.

They split off, each going a different way. Military was on all sides, opening fire towards the sky on their ships.

Eva span around, using a barrel roll to let the blasts fly right off the hull of the Arrow. She continued to use her spin, and slowly locked on.

She put her finger on the firing button, and waited.

Did she really want to kill these people?

She had no other choice. If she didn't stop them-kill them-they could kill her, and ruin what she was trying to do.

To save this planet.

She opened fire.

Bodies and machines flew aside as the laser bolts struck home. More lives had just been taken by a once innocent mechanic turned pilot…turned soldier.

Kratos span around, opening fire. He slammed his ship to a stop, watching the blasts go right in front of him.

He turned his laser cannons down and opened fire, killing without remorse.

He looked out over the side and at the ground forces.

He flew down, deploying his blades and cutting through two opposing ships. He slammed his ship to a stop and opened fire at the ground.

The explosions rippled around the ground forces. Ground soldiers were thrown aside from the explosions, terribly wounded if not killed.

He continued to fly forward, unopposed by the soldiers. He had opened fire on a few, but they had managed to push all power to shields for defense.

"Trying to get behind me?" He muttered, watching out behind him.

No ships pursued. None opened fire.

"What?" He muttered. He looked forward and into the open field ahead.

He entered, and looked around, before he saw it.

The sleek body of the ship. The petal like barrier around the body started to spin, connected to the body via magnetic controls.

The Corinna.

The second ship of the quad.

"Who are you?" A young woman questioned Kratos.

She had long, feathery brown hair. It fell beyond her shoulders and out of the shot. Her face was soft and young-very beautiful. Her blue eyes penetrated Kratos to his very core.

"I am Kratos." He replied.

"I know that." The woman told him. "I want to know who you are. Not only your name."

He answered without hesitation, "I am of the Knight Stone. I am a knight you could say." Kratos replied.

"What sort of alien are you?" She questioned.

"Why?"

"I'm a specialist you could say." She replied, "I'm a tech and information specialist for aliens. Their technology, species…everything. Now, what is your species?"

Kratos thought for a moment, "I don't know." He finally answered.

"You don't know what?" She questioned.

"What's your name?" Kratos demanded, "Before I answer any more, tell me."

"My name is Gwen." She replied, "Now, answer me."

"I don't know what my species is." He replied, "I guess I'm of no species." He shrugged.

"What does that mean?" She asked, "You have to have come from somewhere."

"I came from the Knight Stone." He replied, "It created me. I guess that's what I'm of…nothing more, nothing less. Simply the Stone."

Gwen shrugged, "Fine then. I'll simply kill you."

The Corinna shot forward, the petal barrier around it spinning at rapid speeds, making it look like one spinning, single blade.

Kratos pushed his ship over it. He was out of range of the spinning blades, and aimed his cannons down.

A single petal blade shot upwards, striking the ship's underbelly.

Kratos struggled for control and pushed it forward. He span it around, hovering in the air and opposing the now spun around Corinna.

"Like my weapon?" Gwen asked. "It can reach farther than you expect."

Kratos plunged his ship forward, extending the blades forward. He slashed at the defending blades, but couldn't pierce them.

Kratos pulled his ship back. He looked around, and shot his ship upwards.

The Corinna followed. It span the blades around and shot it forward, all blades connected with magnetic force and flying towards the opposing ship.

Kratos span his ship around and leveled it out. They weren't nearly out of the planet's atmosphere, but were very high up none the less.

Kratos plunged his ship forward, sending a flurry of blasts forward as his vanguard. He dropped the blades down, taking aim at the Corinna.

Gwen plunged her ship forward. The blades began to spin, blocking each blast as it came.

Impact.

The blades acted as perfect shields, blocking the blades perfectly. Kratos pushed his ship as hard as it would go, but he couldn't pierce her.

Gwen grinned, "Well Kratos. Too bad you're about to die. Your…kind will be extinct with you, I guess."

Kratos pushed harder. His engines started to burn and cough out smoke.

"I won't die! Not yet!" He shouted.

"Well, you can't do anything against me." Gwen sneered.

The blades pushed the ship back. The Corinna shot forward and strafed under the ship. It cut under it, peeling off some armor with its tip.

Kratos span the ship around, opening fire.

The blades knew no limits as they parried the blasts. The Corinna span to face Kratos, and flew forward again.

Kratos played all of his options in his head, and saw only one.

He threw his ship back, and then, shot it forward as fast as it would go.

"Die!" Gwen yelled, plunging all blades forward.

They tore the ship apart, ripping literally to shreds.

Kratos leapt from his ship, drawing his sword with a ringing of steel through the air. He shouted as he came up on the Corinna.

Gwen shouted in horror as the magical blade sliced through her cockpit and her body as if they were nothing.

Blood splashed Kratos's body as he fell from the Corinna, plummeting towards the planet down below.

Nereus went down with the elevator, escaping the room that would be filled with poison in moments.

He went down, looking up through the glass ceiling to see them scrambling around, trying to escape.

"Goodbye." He said.

He saw a crimson figure standing atop it as the heavy steel doors started to close, which would seal the passage.

Skaythe.

He smashed the steel door open and then smashed the glass open. He leapt down after Nereus.

He pulled his gun and shot three times, but even as the bullets struck the demonic ambassador, he seemed to feel nothing.

He grabbed Nereus by the throat and slammed him into the wall.

"Die." He hissed as he slowly started to choke Nereus.

"No…" He gasped, trying to kick himself free.

"Worthless worm!" He tossed Nereus aside, and watched his body slide down. Skaythe looked up, and pulled himself up through the roof, a small device in hand.

He had taken the controls from Nereus's breast pocket.

The poison started to leek from the room as he activated various controls. He walked towards the table, "War is upon us." He said, "Should the Earth follow through with his plans and attack."

"We won't allow it." Fiorn growled.

Nori rose, "I shall speak on the behalves of those of us at peace." She said, "We don't want a war. Some of us can't fight a war-like my people, or Spirit's." She said, "Nereus was right-they could obliterate us from orbit. We can't afford to fight. So, let us demand peace after what has occurred here today."

"We shall join together and fight then." Wolv growled, "One planet shall be defended by another!"

"A council of planets won't work." Nori said, shaking her head, "We are not at peace through our galaxy, otherwise we would have no need for Avatar."

"Then what do you suggest?" Shikth asked her.

"We force Earth to surrender." She said, "If they won't come to peace on their own."

"How do we do that?" Wolv questioned.

"We use this building and aim their nuclear weapons at key points through the planet." Skaythe hissed. "It will end this once and for all, even if they decide to attack, then everyone dies!"


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: The Sun Warrior

The Lancelot slowed to a stop and landed. The Whizzing Arrow IV landed beside it, after having met up with Alistair.

"Now what?" Eva asked as her cockpit came up.

Alistair got out of the Lancelot and slid to the ground, panting with weariness, "I don't know." He replied.

Eva dropped to the ground, "Have you seen Kratos recently?" She asked, her concern for him growing.

"No." He replied, "I was too busy dealing with the Macbeth."

"How'd that go?" She asked him.

"I killed him and stopped the plans the Macbeth was being used for." He replied.

"Plans? What plans?" Eva questioned.

"It was equipped with a heavy cluster of black hole bombs." He replied, "If they would have gone off, all of Emproga and the space around it would be sucked into the implosion and killed."

"Why was he using bombs like that?" Eva asked.

"Under orders." He replied. "From Nereus."

"The Secretary of Defense?" Eva asked.

"He's the one behind everything." Alistair answered, "He's controlling the military, using Salzor as his pawn on Emproga. They seem to be in league."

"That's not good." Eva stated, "Isn't the President involved? Shouldn't Nereus be stopped?"

"I don't know anything about Vanel." Alistair replied, "For all we know, he's dead."

"A coup?" She asked.

"Maybe." He replied.

All around, they could hear the sounds of explosions and battle between the Nourasians allied with the Crogs against the Earth forces.

"What do you think the odds of us winning are?" Eva asked.

"Depends." He answered, "Who are "us"?"

"Anyone opposing Salzor, I guess." She replied.

"Not good." He replied, "Especially if Kratos isn't here yet. He could be dead."

She shook her head defiantly, "He won't die. He can't die."

"The Avatar-my brother-may have sent him, but that doesn't mean he's immortal." Alistair told her.

She nodded, "Right."

Alistair leapt into the cockpit of the Lancelot, "One of my contacts is giving me information!" He called over to her.

"You have contacts?" She asked.

"A few in the Earth forces still remain loyal to me. I'm hoping to get them to turn against the others, and hopefully assassinate Salzor if the opportunity is right." He replied. "Now…" He started reading it.

He slammed his fists into the console, "Damn it! Damn, damn, damn!"

"What?" She ran over, "What is it?'

"Kratos is dead." He muttered, "One of our best warriors is gone!"

"Are you sure?" She asked quickly, "Did they find a corpse or something?"

"No, not yet at least." He replied. He looked to her, "He was seen battling Gwen and her Corinna. She was one of the quad. He engaged her in the sky, just below space. He was last seen leaping from his ship and cutting hers through with his sword by other pilots. He was seen plummeting to the planet then." He shook his head, "There's no way he could have survived that."

"Are you sure?" She asked.

He nodded, "No ship in sight that would save him. His ship out of range and falling. He's as good as dead. How he died, we don't know."

"Well, that only leaves two of the quad left, right?" Eva asked.

He nodded, "The pilot of the Phaëton-I believe his name was Dan. And then, the Odysseus and its pilot."

"What's his name?" Eva asked.

"I don't know." Alistair told her, "I don't know of anyone who's ever heard it. He may not have a name…"

"Well, his name doesn't matter." Eva replied, "We just have to take care of him."

Alistair nodded, "Right." He looked outside, seeing the armies of both sides engaging each other.

While the Earth forces had superior weaponry, the Crogs never gave up, and the Nourasians-at least some of them-had magic.

"Let's move." Alistair said. He looked into the sky, seeing the winged shape of the Phaëton overhead, "Another one has come to us. The two of us can take him easily."

Eva ran into the Whizzing Arrow IV and flew besides the Lancelot towards their opponent.

Zhrog stopped and looked ahead, "There." He said, pointing ahead.

The Crogs moved forward, bashing in the doors of the massive ship and taking out the immediate guards.

Zhrog ran in and fired on any survivors or security personal who came.

"Move! I want this secured!" Zhrog shouted.

His Crog commandos moved on and secured the door, sealing it once more.

In minutes, the docked _Crashing Blade_ was heading towards space, now under the leadership of the Crogs.

Soldiers burst in and leveled their rifles at Luna and her two knights.

"Surrender!" One soldier ordered.

Luna looked around at her two guardians. "Surrender." She whispered to them.

The knights dropped their swords to the ground and stood, awaiting capture.

"Execute them." The soldier in command said.

The other two lifted their rifles and took aim.

The lead soldier lifted his handgun towards Luna.

"See you in hell." He said.

The three shots rang out, and then, only silence followed.

The Whizzing Arrow IV and the Lancelot engaged the Phaëton over the main battlefields of Emproga.

"I'll hit it from the front, you from the back." Alistair told Eva.

"Understood." She threw the Arrow into a hard dive, trying to reach it from under the opposing ship.

Dan laughed as the feathers dropped down and opened fire, striking the Arrow repeatedly and causing them to rethink their plan.

The Lancelot was driven forward, blades engaged.

The blades came into the front of the ship as it made its kamikaze run to impale the Phaëton, but Dan was ahead of him.

The blasts were centered on the cockpit, forcing Alistair to dive his Lancelot to the side to avoid being killed.

The two floated near each other, training their cannons on the Phaëton.

"Is this all you can do?" Dan laughed.

He was a fairly young looking man. He was average sized with a head of mussed black hair.

"Die." He hissed.

The ships feathers dropped and opened fire, concentrating fire on the cockpits and engines of his enemies.

The two ships span to the side. All they could do to survive was dodge. Taking the battle to the Phaëton was suicide.

"Die, die, die!"

The flurry of energy bolts was nonstop, all directed towards the two ships which couldn't fire back.

Alistair looked at the odds. He couldn't get close enough to get a meaningful strike off; otherwise he'd be taken out. And Eva had less skill in combat than he did, so if she attacked, she would accomplish next to nothing.

"Time to die." Dan said.

The back and top of the Phaëton opened, revealing a mess of solar panels, all soaking in solar energy and charging its power through the ship.

"Die!"

The solar energy peaked at the nose of the Phaëton, and fired.

The stream of solar power lanced out, just missing his targets.

"One more!" He yelled, preparing to fire again.

The Phaëton started to smoke, and then, was gone in a bellow of fire.

"What happened?" Eva quickly asked Alistair.

"I don't know." Alistair replied, "If I had to guess, however, I'd say his systems backed up. He overloaded the Phaëton."

"Good guess." Eva said, "That's all I would assume."

"At least only the Odysseus remains now." Alistair said.

They looked towards space, and saw it.

The Odysseus.

"Speak of the devil." Alistair said, taking aim with his cannons.

The heavy cannons of the rounded ship opened fire, forcing the Lancelot to dodge side to side.

"Fire!" Alistair yelled.

The cannons opened fire, striking the hull of the Odysseus, but not doing any major damage.

Eva joined in, trying to draw its fire away from the Lancelot so it could plunge in.

The Odysseus and its pilot weren't fooled, and kept firing on both of them.

Alistair quickly formulated a plan. He triggered his swords, but dispersed them as he flew towards the final member-and leader-of the quad.

The wave of charged particles was sent out, forcing the Odysseus to fly back in retreat .

"Will he be that easy to defeat?" Eva asked.

"How should I know?" Alistair asked, "But, we can only pray so."

The sun began to set on the first day of the Earth forces attack on Emproga.

How many would live to see sunrise again on this planet?


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Final Behemoth

Jordan floated through Oban's temples, and finally stopped.

The cobweb filled chamber-filled with old dirt and strange carvings-was his destination. One he had sought out for most of his time as Avatar.

This temple was hidden near Oban's core, and almost killed him to reach it. The power it gave off was just overwhelming.

He threw his hand out, making the carvings glow a deep green which radiated through the room.

"Open! I command you!" Jordan shouted. His voice reverberated around the room, filling the eerie silence with a momentary crutch.

Finally, after a few moments of waiting, the green light spiraled into the center, forcing Jordan to float back and out of that spot.

The spiraling green light spawned as a portal which seemed to suck the little light out of the room.

"Open!" Jordan shouted again.

The portal started to clear, and it became a scene of pitch darkness, with a slight light within.

Jordan didn't dare go through it. He didn't know what would happen if he did.

He saw the light coming closer, and then, taking form.

It was blue light, and seemed to give off heat. It became a diamond in shape, and started to spread out.

"Sul! Come to me!" Jordan shouted.

Jordan would have to be the great magician's lifeline to escape from the darkness that Canaletto had put him in.

As the minutes crept by, Sul started to come closer and closer, his light increasing.

Jordan's hand touched the portal, and in a moment, was gripped by Sul's hand.

He pulled Sul through, and the magician slumped into his arms.

"Sul." Jordan said, "Thank the Creators you're still alive."

Sul looked up, his features drained with an artificial age inflicted by the dark dimension.

"I spent so long, just wandering in the darkness. It may not have been long, in reality, but, time was different there. I could tell." He said weakly.

"How long, in that dimension's time, were you there?" Jordan asked.

"Close to one thousand years." He replied, "Each day, in this world, is around one hundred in that dimension."

"At least I can heal you." Jordan replied, lifting him up, "We must be off. There's much to do, and the universe may be falling into turmoil very soon."

"Let's go then." Sul said, "I'll join you…as soon as I can."

"That's all I can ask for." Jordan replied, floating towards his throne so far away.

The Lancelot and Whizzing Arrow IV pursued the Odysseus into space. Alistair had gotten the idea to keep it on the run and pick it off as it was fleeing.

Eva took aim, and focused on the decided point.

The center of the back.

The two ships opened fire on the same position, which forced the Odysseus to speed up or take too much damage.

The ships stopped as the Odysseus turned around and opened fire.

"Now!" Alistair yelled.

They dodged to the side and opened fire on the cannons, hoping that the ignition of them from the Odysseus would cause damage to the entire ship as they were hit.

The Odysseus didn't try to dodge. It only returned fire.

"Now!" Alistair shouted.

The Whizzing Arrow threw power to its shields as it flew towards the Odysseus. The Lancelot fell in line behind, and deployed blades.

As the Arrow pulled away at the last second, the Lancelot cut the Odysseus through, destroying it.

"Got him!" Alistair shouted in joy.

"What's that noise?" Eva asked.

The sound filled the area around them, coming in on their scanners and other systems.

It was like a loud roaring, like a ship moving.

Light bent around the massive shape as it was slowly revealed, removing its cloaking functions.

A warship, larger than the _Crashing Blade, Freedom_, and _Akasha_ floated in front of the two of them, massive cannons charging.

"What is that thing?" Eva shouted.

"The Odysseus?" Alistair questioned, taking a look at the information being fed to him via his connections.

"What do you mean?" Eva asked, "You destroyed it!"

"It was a probe." Alistair stated, "I never knew what they meant when it was theorized, but now I do." He said, "Some of the men thought it a probe due to shape. Now, I can see they were likely right, and this is the real Odysseus."

"How do we destroy it?" Eva asked. Her ship was starting to take major damage just from proximity to the cannons.

"I don't know." Alistair replied.

"Leave it to me." Zhrog's voice came.

The _Crashing Blade_ came into view, opening fire on the larger warship.

The Odysseus turned to face the flagship of the Earth forces, and opened fire.

The _Crashing Blade _took the hits, but, under Zhrog's captaining, continued forward, opening fire on the main hull and weakest and most important points on the enemy ship.

Before they knew it, the _Crashing Blade_ had crashed into the Odysseus, crippling its hull in a burst of flames.

"Zhrog gave his life." Eva muttered, "He gave it for us! Alistair, we have to do something!"

"But what?" He shouted at her, "We can't do anything like this!"

A massive stream of power shot towards the Odysseus from the planet, striking the Odysseus's crippled body.

"What was that?" Eva asked him.

Alistair looked at his screen, asking the specific question.

"A satellite cannon." He replied, "Crog defenses."

"Who's helping us? Crogs?" She asked.

"Not quite." The voice came.

"Aikka!" She shouted, "You're alive!"

"Barely." He replied, "And I have someone else here."

"Luna?" She asked.

"No." Kratos's voice came.

"You survived!" She exclaimed.

"Of course I did." Kratos replied, "Now, what's our next move?"

"We should take out wherever Salzor is." Alistair said. "Hold your position, Aikka, Kratos. We're coming down."

"I'm going to fetch Luna." Aikka said, "Then we have to make our next move from here."

"Temporary base?" Alistair asked.

"Yeah. And it's protected." Kratos replied, "It has strong enough shields, and of course, firepower."

"Hurry, Aikka." Eva said.

"I will." He replied before running off with some men of both the Crogs and Nourasians.

"Kratos, did you detect the Odysseus before it was revealed?" Alistair asked.

"No, its stealth systems were too advanced for the radar in this to detect." He replied.

"How did you survive?" Eva blurted out in question.

"Aikka saved me on G'dar." He replied, "Now, hurry. Some Earth forces are moving in, including the mech suit."

"We'll hurry." Alistair assured him as the two ships re-entered Emproga's atmosphere.

Salzor marched towards the _Freedom_ with his personal staff and troops following.

"Without the _Crashing Blade_, this will have to do." He said.

"I can't believe those Crogs managed to take our flagship." Another xenophobic member of his staff muttered.

"It's fine." Salzor replied, "The Crog leader here is dead now. Even if it did cost Nereus his precious quad."

"The Odysseus isn't gone." Another staff member said.

Salzor turned to him, "What?" He questioned.

The member lifted a laptop out, "The Odysseus was controlled by a powerful AI. It managed to download itself into our servers before the Odysseus was destroyed. We have the AI." He said.

"Good." Salzor said, "Hook it up to our weapons programs. I want it working for us in the _Freedom_."

"Will do." The staff member said, running in to do as ordered.

Salzor looked out as the _Freedom _immediately took off.

"What next?" His closest advisor asked, "The alien forces seem to be gone. I don't know if we destroyed them, scared them off, or if they're waiting."

"I looked at the death totals from the remaining ships in orbit." Salzor replied, "From the _Akasha, Avalon, Gawain, Galahad_, and _Mordred_. It would seem that with the thousands of enemies destroyed, they may be defeated, or out of commission to continue."

"Excellent!" His advisor exclaimed, "We now only have the Crogs and Nourasians left."

Salzor nodded, "The plan begins in two hours." He stated, "Tell all."

"On it." His advisor ran off.

Salzor looked down at the planet.

In a few hours, Emproga would be gone, and Earth would win.


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: An Old Foe

Aikka stormed into the Nourasian compound, looking desperately for Luna and her two knights.

He drew his sword and kicked the last door open. He ran in and looked around.

Three dead soldiers and one dead knight lie on the ground. He ran around, looking for Luna and her other knight.

"Luna!" He shouted, breaking down the door to the bed chamber, but there was nothing other than a blood stain.

He saw the arm of the second knight lying on the bed, and the rest of the body out the window, on the ground.

He leapt out and ran, "Luna!" He shouted, running in the direction of some blood splatter, praying that she was alive.

The mech suit stopped, its contingent of soldiers following. They all trained their strongest weapons on the satellite cannon.

"Fire!" The mech operator shouted.

The charged particle gun and the normal blaster cannons opened fire, unleashing blast after blast on the facility.

"All shields up!" Kratos shouted.

One of the few soldiers who were helping them triggered the barrier systems, throwing up the defensive shield.

"Lower the cannon!" Kratos shouted.

Another soldier lowered the cannon's barrel, and took aim, charging the cannon.

"I have three shots within the next half hour." He told Kratos.

Kratos nodded, "Fire." He said.

The first blast fired, rippling through the street. Soldiers on the ground and in their ships were blown apart. The rest of the soldiers and ships were moving out of the way, only being clipped by the blast. The mech suit itself was too fast, evading into the next street.

"Prepare for the second shot." Kratos said.

"But what if we miss!" He shouted back.

"We have to wait for them to fall into line on our attack again." Kratos said, "And then we destroy them." He drew his sword, "I'll go after the mech when it gets close again."

"You think you can do it?" Eva asked him.

He nodded, "If it means protecting you, I can destroy it."

"Good luck." She said.

He ran towards the door, "Fire as they fall into line." He said, "You're a trained soldier-I'm sure you'll know when to fire."

The soldier in charge of the gun nodded, "Right."

"Good luck." Eva said.

Kratos nodded and put his hand on the door. The Lancelot and Whizzing Arrow IV were outside with a few other ships, all protected by the forcefield.

Alistair sat in the cockpit of the Lancelot, waiting to strike when the time was right.

The shot went off, destroying the next wave. The Lancelot then took off, picking off any survivors.

Kratos ran out, drawing his blade. He charged the mech and leapt up, coming down on its arm.

He slashed the shoulder, but the blade only went in halfway.

The shoulder mounted cannons started to charge, and took aim at Kratos.

He flipped over the mech as it fired, striking the forcefield. He came down, slashing it along its back.

The mech span around, lifting its fist to strike. Kratos lunged forward, running his sword through the chest-through the cockpit.

It started to smoke, forcing him to leap back as it blew apart.

The cannon still had one shot left, but didn't fire. They had to wait until their next target-the _Freedom_ came into view.

Kratos ran towards the Lancelot and looked up, seeing the _Gawain _coming into view, coming out of deep space into orbit.

Kratos leapt into the cockpit behind Alistair, "We have to go and take care of it." Kratos said.

Eva came running out and leapt in behind Kratos, "Alistair, we have to strike now!"

He nodded, "Ok, two minutes." He said.

Aikka slowed to a stop when he saw Canaan up ahead.

"Canaan!" He ran forward.

Luna was with him.

"Luna!" He ran for them.

"Aikka!" She ran into his arms.

"It's not safe here." Canaan panted, "We have to move."

"Canaan, what happened?" Aikka asked.

"I managed to…" Canaan started, trying to compose his thoughts.

"He used magic." Luna told him.

Aikka looked to Canaan, "You can use magic?" He asked with astonishment.

"Yes." He admitted.

"What did you do?" Aikka asked.

"I ripped the soldiers apart with magic." He replied, "A sort of barrier. It killed a knight in the process on the spot. The other was wounded, but ran with us into the next room. His arm ripped apart on the spot and he fell to his death in the street."

"Why?" Aikka asked.

"An aftershock of his magic." Luna told him. "It happened since he was too close."

Aikka glared at his mentor, "Will something like this happen to Luna too then?" He demanded.

"No." Canaan said, "As long as someone has magic, they're immune."

"Magic?" He questioned, looking to Luna, "She…has magic?"

"Apparently." She replied, "Its innate magic."

"Ok, we'll talk later." Aikka said, "We have to move."

The three ran off, towards the cannon as the Gawain came down.

G'dar flew into view as the Lancelot was taking off. "I'll join them." Aikka said, "You two get inside and stay there!" He leapt off.

Canaan and Luna rushed into the facility with G'dar as the forcefield was down. Aikka ran and leapt onto the Lancelot.

The cockpit opened and he dropped in, next to Eva and Kratos.

"What's the plan?" Aikka asked.

"To destroy the _Gawain_." Alistair replied, "My contact says that it's coming down on Emproga. We can destroy it."

"Who's your contact?" Eva asked.

He ignored her question as they flew towards the _Gawain_.

"What's that?" A man on deck shouted.

The Lancelot's white shape was seen coming towards the _Gawain_.

"Is that…the Lancelot?" A soldier shouted.

The blades deployed and pointed straight for the _Gawain_.

Kratos and Aikka put their hands on the sides of the cockpit.

"Akiran Zenkro Vizirana!" Aikka shouted.

Kratos said nothing as his magic appeared on the side, under his hand.

Two magical barriers covered the Lancelot as it came hurtling for the enemy ship.

The blades, combined with the defensive magic, cut the _Gawain_ through, lighting it ablaze and taking it down in an explosion.

The Lancelot continued upward towards the _Freedom_.

The man controlling the weapons systems-in charge of uploading the Odysseus AI, waited.

"Fire on them!" Salzor shouted.

He didn't, "The Odysseus AI isn't responding!" He shouted.

He was Alistair's contact and close comrade. He was trying to take the _Freedom_ down for Alistair's sake.

"All shields up then!" Salzor shouted.

The barriers were thrown up around the Freedom as the Lancelot struck it.

"The shields can only withstand a nuclear strike!" The shield operator shouted, "Charged particles are too strong!"

"Try anyway!" Salzor shouted to him.

The shield was struck by the blades, but not even the swords combined with the twin magical barrier could pierce through the _Freedom_.

"We have to return to Emproga." Alistair muttered.

"Ok." Kratos replied, "We'll do damage with the cannon."

"Right." He steered the Lancelot back towards the flaming wreck of the Gawain and towards Emproga.

Oban spawned many things. Some glorious and beautiful…but not this.

A ship came hurtling from Oban towards Emproga. This is what the Creators warned of.

The Knight Stone's double edged sword was the Crog known as Kross.


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Kratos vs. Kross

"Something's coming in on the planet." A soldier told Alistair as they entered.

"What is it?" He questioned, "More backup from Nereus?"

"I can't tell." He replied, "It doesn't show up on radar on anything that we can identify."

"What's that?" Kratos asked, pointing to a flashing light.

He pressed the button, bringing up the voice that was being sent to the planet.

"I can't tell what it is." Alistair said, shaking his head at the static growling sound.

Kratos's eyes widened with shock. He drew his sword and ran out.

"Kratos!" Eva shouted, running after him.

"It's not safe here!" Kratos yelled to all of them, "Mobilize now!"

"I'll shoot it down." The gunner said, "We have one shot left."

"It won't work! You'll just get yourself killed!"

"Why, what is it?" Aikka asked, running over.

"The double edged sword known as the Knight Stone." Kratos replied, "Creating me…created another." He admitted.

"What happened? What was it?" Aikka asked. He looked at Luna and Canaan, and back to Kratos.

"It's in view!" The gunner shouted, taking aim.

"No!" Kratos shouted.

It was too late. The gunner fired.

"Aikka, your magic!" Kratos shouted.

Kratos and Aikka put their hands on the ground as everyone but the gunner and shield technician, but a few soldiers, came near.

"Akiran Zenkro Vizirana!" Aikka shouted.

Kratos said nothing-he only triggered his magic through his own force of will.

The magical barrier sprouted up around them, but the shield technician yelled, "What? That'll protect you but this shield won't?"

Before Kratos could answer him, and say that's exactly what would happen, the ship crashed into the facility before a shot could be fired.

The gunner and shield technician were killed in the crash. The only way to have survived was use of the double magical barrier.

Aikka's shield-the first-shattered. Kratos's-the second-cracked apart and nearly fell in turn.

"Move!" Kratos shouted, drawing his blade, "Get to the Lancelot, Arrow and anything else! Then move! But leave me one ship-just in case."

"What is that?" Alistair shouted.

The ship was patched and scarred from explosions and various other damage. It was spherical and patched roughly.

Its spherical form was opened slightly at the front-like a Crog Trident. It had blades rimming it on all sides, and a visible cockpit on the front, in the Trident like front.

The cockpit was pitch black with two crimson eyes glowing from it. Three blades were on both sides of the oval cockpit. They were small, about three feet long and half a foot thick. They looked like spades, but were sharp enough to rip through any ship.

The blades on the sides looked stable and ridged, for simply ramming attacks. It didn't appear to have any projectile weapons on its body.

"What is that?" Alistair again shouted.

The ship shot forward at them, only to be stopped by Kratos's sword against the hull.

He leapt aside as the ships started to take off. He looked back, "Go! Stop Salzor!"

The Lancelot and Whizzing Arrow floated there, weapons trained on it.

The laugh boomed from the cockpit as it flew forward, throwing Kratos aside and going for the other two ships.

The Lancelot flew forward, deploying its blades to the side. It veered out to the side, trying to cut at the side of the ship.

The Arrow flew back, taking aim and firing as it retreated.

The blasters didn't do any damage to the ship. The Lancelot went for the side still, but the blades were stopped by the physical blades of the enemy ship.

The ship threw the Lancelot back. It dove in for an attack at the front, going for a stab into the cockpit.

The laugh came from the ship. The blades on the sides of the cockpit flew forward on strong, iron cables. They flew with normal flexibility, showing that the steel was something beyond just ordinary steel-that they could easily bend and flex.

The six blades dug into the Lancelot, plowing it to the ground.

Alistair shouted, trying to break the grip that these blades had on him. The ship pulled back at a high speed and turned sharply, whipping the Lancelot into a wall of rubble.

The Lancelot was thrown free and hit the ground, rolling over and over. A wing snapped off and other chunks of armor and cockpit were torn free.

The Lancelot stayed down, damaged beyond repair.

Oil from the piercings of the launched blades sprang from the six wounds in the Lancelot. It came over the damaged white body, waiting for an ignition source.

Inside, Alistair lay there, unconscious.

"Alistair!" Eva flew the Whizzing Arrow IV towards it, trying to reach him.

The ship turned on her and launched more blades.

Eva started to use her piloting skills, skillfully evading the launching blades. She slammed to a stop as the last three came in front of her.

She drove the ship down, heading towards the Lancelot.

The ship continued to turn to follow her, ready to take another round of shots at the fleeing Whizzing Arrow.

An arrow struck the hull, throwing it off target. It turned to face Aikka who was quickly notching another arrow.

Canaan and Luna had since fled, leaving him behind to fight, as was his order. The only combatants were the mysterious ship, Kratos, Eva, Aikka, and the now downed Alistair.

Kratos ran forward and leapt forward, slashing the ship. His magic, combined with his sword, reflected the ship.

"Show yourself!" He shouted.

The ship set down. The dark cockpit hissed open with a release of steam.

The massive figure stepped out, revealing himself as the Crog known as Kross.

He was no longer as he once was. He was large as he always was. His body was covered in mechanical implants. His eyes were both fake and glowing crimson. He was missing all but one ear, which was almost fully gone.

His right hand was fake and could retract it seemed. To what? It was hard to tell.

He stepped out, steam hissing from his body. Cords from the cockpit snapped back into the ship, unplugging themselves from Kross.

He lifted his right hand, and it retracted. A large, wicked blade shot out as he stalked towards the Arrow.

Kratos got in front of him and put his sword out in front of him, "I won't let you near her!" He shouted, running forward.

His sword trailed behind him, in both hands. He leapt forward and up, coming down with his sword high above.

He slashed as hard as he could, but Kross parried with ease.

He stepped back, letting Kratos come all the way down. He kicked Kratos, throwing him all the way back to the Arrow and Lancelot.

Kross stalked forward. His sword retracted and a nozzle came out. Energy charged around it and he took aim.

"Die." He hissed. His tone was now like his old voice, but with a mechanical overlay, like a second voice, over the top of it.

A massive energy burst rocketed forward with lethal force for Kratos.

"Stay in the Arrow!" He shouted to Eva. He stabbed the tip of his sword into the ground and yelled, creating a barrier.

The blast struck and shattered it. He was tossed aside, his sword going one way, his body the other.

Kross had a clear path for Eva and the unconscious Alistair.

Aikka ran over and leapt onto G'dar. He notched an arrow and fired it.

The magical arrow came straight at Kross, but then, swerved.

"What?" Aikka shouted. He dropped off of G'dar and drew his sword, coming down to slash.

His sword struck, but stopped.

Kross backhanded him, shattering a few ribs and knocking him to the ground.

He slid across the ground and stopped. He drew another arrow and panted, falling to his knees as he got up. He notched it and chanted.

"Iraku Yentera Uzurena Ikaraku!" He shouted, firing it.

The arrow split into five parts, soaring upwards and then, coming down on him from all sides.

An aura of power sprouted around him, keeping him trapped.

"Ikewena Zoniba!" He shouted.

The magic spiraled inwards, slowly coming together to implode on Kross.

Kratos ran forward, "No!" He shouted, falling before he could reach them.

The magic shattered and Kross came forward. The spiral of magic came to his palm, and then, fired at Aikka.

He was trapped in his own magic prism, slowly killing him.

Kratos got up, "Kross! I am your opponent!"


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Emproga's Last Stand

"What's going on on Emproga?" Salzor demanded to know.

The _Freedom_ had since lost all communications with the planet itself. Since that mysterious object had hit the planet.

"What about Nereus?" Salzor asked.

"We can't establish contact with him either." He got as a reply.

"Then we cut our losses." Salzor said, "How many soldiers are still on Emproga?"

"Five thousand." He got as a reply from another technician.

"How many are in space?"

"Three thousand."

"How many on the planet can fit in the ships down there? The _Akasha _and the_ Avalon?"_

"We estimate that half can make it. That's factoring in casualties and speed within a one hour window."

"And in thirty minutes it begins." Salzor muttered, "So we cut those numbers effectively in half. That's enough soldiers." He nodded, "The entire Earth Army is large enough that we can forget some of these soldiers from this division. Send the signal out for the soldiers to return with everything they have. All ships, weapons and provisions."

"Understood." He replied, taking the next terminal to send the message out.

Salzor looked down, "Charge the weaponry. I want Emproga to burn."

Kratos threw his sword at Aikka, shattering the magic that would have killed him. Kratos himself ran for Kross, trying to determine what magic could stop this monster.

He threw his hand out, conjuring a blast of lightning. As it rippled forward, it deflected to the side.

"So that's it." He muttered, "Magic can't touch him, and he can store and cast magic that manages to touch him somehow, like Aikka's spell."

He looked, seeing that Eva was pulling Alistair's unconscious body into the Arrow and taking off. He looked at Kross's ship, and ran for Aikka.

Kross walked back towards his ship, back to his own ship to give chase.

"Give me an arrow." Kratos told Aikka.

He slipped an arrow from the quiver and handed it to Kratos, "Fire as he takes off, see if you can trap him somehow."

"Got it." Aikka said.

Kratos nodded in approval and ran off to give chase. The ship was lifting off as the wires plugged into his mechanical body on all sides.

He stood in the center of the black cockpit, controlling his ship with mere thoughts and electrical impulses from his mechanical and organic systems.

Kratos ran into a ship and took off, leaving Aikka on the ground behind. He pursued, trying to buy Eva time.

He flew in front of Kross and opened fire, but the ship didn't slow as it came crashing for the unmarked ship. Kratos threw his ship back, continuing to fire, but succeeding in doing nothing.

He triggered his blades and flew forward. He plowed into the ship, but couldn't get any farther.

"Stand aside." Kross growled in both voices.

"Never!" Kratos shouted. He opened his cockpit and leapt out. He plunged his sword into the hull of the ship and then, pulled it free.

He imported a fraction of his magic into the arrow, and plunged it into the hole. He leapt off, falling towards the ground, like his falling ship was.

"Now!" He shouted.

Aikka fired, "Yenutra Kizen Riona!"

The magic came as a spiraling force, striking the ship on the side.

"Anything will do." Kratos muttered to himself, familiar with the spell.

This spell was a way to strike at someone's very soul, to try to pacify them.

Kross had no such soul; being revived by the Knight Stone did that to a being. He had a mind-his own-but no soul.

The magic would do nothing, but it wouldn't drain Aikka of his energy.

The magic set off Kratos's magic.

That's all that mattered.

The arrow was sending power rippling through the entire ship. Blue flames overtook the shaft of the arrow, and then, shot through the entire body of the ship.

Blue flames-Reaper's Flame-tore through the ship.

This was the strongest spell Kratos had for a situation like this.

He had to hope it would work.

"The charged particle weapons are offline." A man told Salzor.

"Then use everything else!" Salzor shouted.

"It'll take a little longer to destroy the planet, but ok." He got as a response.

Another man spoke, "The remaining ships have reached us."

"This quickly?" Salzor questioned.

"It seems they were near their ships to begin with, trying to protect them so as not to lose another, like the loss of the _Crashing Blade_."_  
_  
"Makes sense. Now, I want the planet razed."

"Understood." A man said, "And firing…now!"

The ship crashed to the planet surface in a deep and fiery crater.

Kratos and Aikka slumped over it, looking down.

"You think that got him?" Aikka asked.

"We have to hope so." Kratos replied, leaning back against the rubble behind him.

"What was that spell?" Aikka asked.

"It's called Reaper's Flame." He replied. "It's the power of death manifesting itself. I can't trigger it myself. I need a magical object, like your arrow, and then, any other magic to activate it. Nothing escapes it."

"Let's hope that Kross applies as "nothing"." Aikka muttered.

"Like I said, nothing escapes it." Kratos stated.

The ship's door burst open. The cords snapped off of Kross's body as he stepped out and looked up at the two of them with his glaring red eyes.

"That's not good." Aikka muttered, notching another arrow on impulse.

"How?" Kratos muttered, snatching an arrow from Aikka's quiver.

Kross started his path up towards the two warriors.

Eva set her ship down by where Canaan and Luna waited.

"Is Aikka with you?" Luna quickly asked.

Eva pulled Alistair's body from the Arrow and set him down, "No. He's still back there fighting Kross with Kratos." She looked at them, "Can either of you heal him?"

"I can try." Canaan said, "But my magic would kill him since he doesn't have magic."

"Let me." Luna said, crouching down, "I don't know what I can do, but I can try."

"Thanks." Eva said. She looked to the Arrow, considering if she should go and try to help her friends or not.

Kratos had told her to go to safety. Should she really go back?

She heard Canaan shout. She looked up and saw the cannons of the _Freedom_ opening fire on Emproga.

Kratos slashed to one side, Aikka on the other.

They pushed past Kross on both sides and turned to face him. He had taken no damage it seemed.

Had taking the time to retrieve their blades been a good idea? At the moment, it appeared not.

Kratos drew the arrow facedown into his left hand, and rammed it into Kross's back. He plunged his magic through it, making it explode on Kross's back.

He fell forward, taking a stab from Aikka's blade to his face. Wiring under his flesh became somewhat visible.

He had no blood, it seemed.

The two stumbled back, trying to figure out their next move.

"Die!" Kross shouted. His dual voice was as eerie as ever as he came forward at them.

He slashed with his arm sword, meeting the parry from both of them. He threw them both to the ground and stomped towards them.

Aikka lifted an arrow up and saw the exposed wiring. He took aim with his bow and fired.

The energy crackled from it. This arrow was set to explode with a magical burst.

He didn't intend on the blast hitting Kross, but he did plan to strike at the wound.

The magic flowed into the wound, frying the wiring and the flesh he did have below it.

Kross stumbled back, holding the wound.

Kratos took up his sword and charged forward. He plunged it home into the wound, and slashed to the side.

He did some damage, but an apparently steel skull stopped his sword from going any farther.

Eva got out of the Whizzing Arrow and ran forward to try to help them as best she could. "Stay back!" Both warriors shouted.

Kross's eyes glared at her as he stomped forward, lifting his blade.

"Now!" Kratos shouted.

Aikka fired an arrow straight up. They had seen the cannons firing down on the planet, and had devised a plan.

The magic captured some of the energy from the sky, and retrained it on Kross.

The blasts struck him, causing him to scream out in pain as his body was blown apart.

Kratos looked around his flaming wreck of a body. It was all around them.

He turned and looked at Aikka and Eva.

His eyes only held pain.


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25: The Way Home

"What's wrong?" Aikka asked Kratos, at the look in his eyes.

"Eva…you should have stayed away." He turned to face them. "The Gate is open." He said, "I am of the Knight Stone. The Stone is a double edged sword. I am here…to kill you now, Eva."

"What?" She shouted, taking a step back towards the Arrow.

He drew his sword on her, "Time to die." He said calmly, charging for Eva.

Aikka pushed Eva out of the way, "Run! I'll hold him back!" He said, taking up his sword and charging at Kratos.

"Aikka, no!" She shouted, "He's stronger than you!"

Kratos cut through Aikka's blade in one slash and then kicked him aside. He turned and walked after Eva, "Come on." He said, "It's time for you to die."

She ran into the cockpit of the Arrow and took to the air. She looked down on him, "Kratos, you don't have to do this!" She shouted, "You were our comrade, our friend! That doesn't have to change!"

"It does." He replied, looking up at her. Lightning crackled in his fist, "Because the Gate is open, and my duty to protect you ended with the death of Kross. Now…my new order is to kill you.

"That is the Knight Stone. That is the double edged sword it presents."

Aikka crawled up to Kratos from behind. He gripped the shattered hilt of his sword, jagged remains still gripping to it of his blade.

He plunged it at Kratos's back, wounding the powerful alien.

Kratos stumbled forward and span around, elbowing Aikka across the face. He stumbled back as Kratos tore the weapon free of his back.

Kratos kicked Aikka back and lifted his still intact sword high.

"Time to die, King." Kratos hissed. His pale blue and white clothes started to turn to dark red and black. The tails that hung down, already ragged, regenerated slightly. They kept the ragged look, but in a more malicious way.

Kratos's blue eyes turned crimson. His sword's golden hilt became dull gray. His hair became a darker shade of red, close to black.

His way of speaking, finally, changed. His tone became darker, and his calm way of speaking was gradually going.

"No!" Eva shouted, training her cannons on Kratos.

All around them, flames erupted from the planet being struck from orbit.

"If you try anything, I'll kill you too, Kratos!" She shouted.

"Kill me? Me?" He laughed, "You little brat, you couldn't kill me!"

Aikka looked at Kratos. He was looking over his shoulder at the Arrow.

Aikka tore an arrow free of his quiver and rammed it into Kratos's chest.

Kratos looked down, "You wouldn't be fast enough." He hissed.

"Try me then." Aikka panted, holding tight to his arrow.

"What spell would take me down? What do you have that could possibly defeat me?" Kratos questioned with malice.

"Renduro Wexlero Zyborna!" Aikka shouted.

A magical ring came from the charm of the arrow and sprouted on Kratos's chest. He yelled out as pain rippled through his body.

Aikka reared back his leg and kicked Kratos. The warrior fell back.

Aikka got up and ran forward, "Eva! We have to go!"

"You're not going to kill him?" Eva asked as she touched the Arrow down.

"No. He's a valiant warrior. I can't kill him, even if he is our enemy." Aikka told her, crawling into the back of the Arrow.

She took off towards where the others were, "Salzor is attacking the planet. What do we do now?"

"We get off the planet." Aikka replied. He looked down at his own people, fighting alongside the Crogs against the few remaining soldiers who were left behind.

"I don't know if we can save them." She said.

"Just go." Aikka said, "We have to get the five of us off this planet." He looked to Eva, "What about your father and friends?"

"Gone I hope." She replied.

"Where is Eva?" Don Wei shouted as he moved through the _Galahad_. "Stan, Koji, Rick!"

They all came out and towards him, "We haven't seen her." Koji admitted.

"She must be on another ship." Stan said.

"I contacted other ships." Rick said, "No one knows where she is. Or Alistair Wilde, or Aikka, or his company."

"What does that mean?" Don demanded.

"They're probably still on the planet." Rick told him.

Skaythe smashed into the war room of the Earth control room in the White House and surrounding buildings.

"Here it is." He growled.

The other ambassadors entered, their rear covered by Shikth and Fiorn. The others were in the middle, with fighters like Wolv in the center for protection.

Skaythe had plowed through all Earth security forces to reach this location. He was unstoppable.

Just like the demon he appeared like.

What was he? Was he an alien…or was he truly a demon?

He walked towards the controls, "Fiorn, Wolv. Your people are more advanced than most of the ambassadors peoples here. Figure it out."

Wolv walked up and started to work. "It's encrypted. It's deep, but I can hack it."

Skaythe walked towards the door as more security came. He slammed the remains of the door back on, and then, threw it forward, taking out everyone in the hallway.

"That buys you time." Skaythe hissed.

"Got it." Wolv hissed, "It was easy to hack in the end." He triggered the systems, locking down the facility.

"They know we have the weapon?" Skaythe asked. Wolv nodded, "Good. Be ready to give our demands to them."

"What are our demands?" Wolv asked.

"The security of our planets. Free passage off this planet, and a competent Cabinet that isn't full of traitorous men like Nereus."

"Understood." Wolv said, simply waiting.

As they returned, Alistair was up, but his arm was in a sling, and he had a rough cloth tied over his head to stop some bleeding.

"I managed to get this." Alistair said, hobbling over to a ship.

It was an oval in shape. It had two gun turrets on each side, and the cockpit at the front nose. It was about forty five feet in length, twenty five in width.

"We have to leave the Arrow behind." Alistair said. He looked around, "Where's Kratos?"

"He's a traitor." Aikka replied, "He's some sort of alien that changes sides as his mission is complete…or something like that. When he was done killing Kratos, he turned on Eva. It's a result of the Knight Stone apparently."

"So we leave him behind." Alistair said, "Good." He climbed into the ship.

G'dar came next with Canaan and Luna. Eva came in, helping to hold up Aikka as they entered.

"Who's piloting?" Luna asked.

"I'm too injured." Alistair said, "Eva, you'll have to."

She nodded and climbed into the pilot seat in the cockpit, "Ok. I'll do my best. I've never piloted a ship like this."

"It's easy." Alistair assured her, "Now, we have to go, now!"

They could see Kratos moving in on them, lightning crackling around his fist.

"He said the "Gate was open"." Eva said, "Any ideas what that means?"

"None." Aikka said.

"Nope." Alistair said, going to a turret.

Luna shook her head, "Never heard of it." Canaan said.

"Ok then." Eva said, "We don't know what it means. That's not good."

"Take off!" Alistair shouted, taking aim, but unable to get the full range of motions while on the ground.

"Right!" She started up the ship, taking it up a few feet.

Alistair turned, "Die!" He opened fire.

Kratos let his lightning loose, blasting through the fire and towards the combat.

Eva dodged the ship to the side and took off into space as the rest of the buildings around them were laid waste to by Salzor's relentless attacks.

The ship was taken up, dodging lightning blast after lightning blast.

They looked down, seeing the spot Kratos was standing on being blown to pieces. Kratos was gone, they were sure of that.

"There's the _Freedom_." Alistair said, pointing ahead.

"Let's dock in one of their hangers." Eva said, "Then we can fly back with them."

"Incoming ship, identify yourself." A voice came. The image was slowly coming up.

"Rick!" Eva shouted, "It's us! Me, Aikka, Luna, Canaan and…"

"Alistair Wilde?" He asked.

"Yeah." She replied, "How did you know?"

"I figured it out when we found the list of missing officers and saw him, especially since he was Jordan's brother; I figured he'd be with you." Rick replied, "Now come to the _Galahad_."

"I'll be right there." Eva replied, heading towards the _Galahad_.

They were heading home.


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Home

"We submit." The next highest ranking member of the Earth political hierarchy said. "We submit to your demands."

"Good." Skaythe hissed, "Now, arrange transport and a new leader."

"I'm taking charge for the time." He replied. "Transport is being arranged, and Nereus is being arrested."

"Good." Skaythe replied, "But about our planets…"

"Safe." He replied, "We don't want an intergalactic war on our hands."

"Good." Skaythe replied, "And remember, we'll keep controls for these missiles with us." He bluffed, "You try anything, say goodbye to your planet."

"I understand."

"Good." Skaythe switched it off. He looked at the other ambassadors, "We now have transport home, and a bluff that should hold up."

"Good." Nori said. She looked to him, "Thank you Skaythe. You're not the man I thought you were."

He ignored her and kept his silence up again.

The small ship docked in the _Galahad's _hanger. The passengers rushed out. And hid in a large closet, as ordered.

Two knocks came, followed by three faster ones.

Rick entered and slammed the door quickly shut, "What exactly happened down there? Most of us don't know, like me and the others."

"Salzor is razing the planet." Alistair said. "He's our enemy."

"I'll see to it that Earth forces are immediately alerted so he can be arrested upon landing."

"No." Alistair said, "Nereus is in league with him, and Vanel is simply his unwilling puppet."

"Then what do we have to do?" Rick asked.

"I don't know." Alistair admitted, "We'll have to see Earth's situation first." He said, "Then we figure out what to do with Salzor."

"Or we assassinate him." Eva said.

The eyes of the others were on her, in surprise.

"I'm being serious." Eva said, "Look at what he's done! He deserves to be killed!"

"Your father wouldn't like to hear you talk like that." Rick told Eva.

"I know…but what else can we do?"

"I'll do it." Alistair said. "Get me to the _Freedom _and I'll kill him."

"No." Rick said, "No one is assassinating Salzor."

"Ok, you win." Alistair shrugged. He walked out, "I forgot something in the ship."

He walked into it. His footsteps rang out against the steel floors as he moved towards the main console.

He contacted his contact on the _Freedom _.

"Kill Salzor."

"You sure it's time?"

"Yes."

The man walked from his console, "The Odysseus AI still isn't functioning." He said. He had smashed the AI disk earlier, taking the last traces of that AI out of the universe.

"It doesn't matter anymore." Salzor replied, "Emproga is done and left behind."

He pulled a knife free from under his shirt. "Sir."

"What?"

He plunged the knife into Salzor's back, "You should know, before you die, that I was a spy for Alistair Wilde." He plunged it all the way in.

Salzor crumpled to the ground. He left the knife in and ran as security entered.

They pulled their guns and cut him down in a rain of gunfire, killing the man.

But Salzor was dead. That's what counted.

"Sul, are you ready?" Jordan asked.

"Yes." The alien replied.

They joined hands, pooling their power together, and focusing it on Emproga.

The Knight Stone had gone to the other side, so saving it wasn't an option. The only option was to save the other people who had survived.

The Nourasians, Crogs, Earth forces, and natives of the planet.

They were who needed rescuing.

The combined magic of Sul and the Avatar combined, whisking everyone away, and back to their home planets.

The only soul that would remain on Emproga was Kratos.

He wouldn't find escape as the planet burned around him.

As the Knight Stone, having gone to his final mission-the second edge of the sword-he wasn't easily killed. The planet falling apart wouldn't kill him most likely, but the void of space would.

"It's done." Jordan panted.

"We've saved them." Sul said, "Now what?"

"We see how things play out." Jordan replied, slumping into his throne, "I need to rest."

"How long?" Sul asked as he too sat down to rest.

"It could be weeks." Jordan replied, "That was a massive energy drain."

"Hopefully this universe won't fall into turmoil." Sul muttered.

The ships eventually touched down on Earth. The ambassadors had since been sent back to their planets. Eva and her group had remained hidden on the _Galahad _as well.

As soon as the ships had opened their hangers, another Earth military division came up and trained their weapons on the remaining ships.

"Salzor! Surrender!"

Some men came out of the _Freedom _, "He's dead!" One announced. Another dragged his body out.

Salzor's personal staff was giving up his corpse, and doing it poorly.

"They're not showing surrender!" A lead soldier shouted, "Fire!"

The new leader of the Earth wasn't taking chances. He had Nereus interrogated and his messages searched, revealing his work with Salzor. Anyone with Salzor was to be put to death.

The rest of the soldiers came out, hands up. They were greeted by friends and then, shockingly, saw men they had left behind.

"The Avatar sent them back to us." A soldier said.

Eva and her group came out. The ship they had taken to reach the _Galahad _with was taking to the sky.

Alistair poked his head out, "I'm heading to Nourasia." He said to Eva, "I have to take these four back, and then I'll return."

"Your wounds!" Eva shouted.

"Nourasian healers." He said. "Now, see you later, Eva."

The ship, with Alistair, Canaan, Luna, Aikka and G'dar took off towards the planet of Nourasia.

Don Wei came out and ran towards his daughter, embracing her.

"Eva! I was worried that you'd been killed in the battles." He cried.

"I'm fine dad." She replied, "Really, I am."

"Good." He said, pulling back from her, "Because starting tomorrow, you're going back to school."

She showed disbelief upon her face, but smiled, and hugged her father back.

Nereus sat in a prison cell, chained to the wall.

The current Earth leader-he had not taken on the title of President –stood before Nereus's cell.

"What do you want?" Nereus spat.

"I want to know why you did what you did." He replied.

"I wanted power." Nereus said, "Is that hard to understand?"

"You murdered everyone in your way. That wasn't going to go unnoticed forever."

"Long enough." Nereus replied.

"Why?"

"I had others." Nereus replied, "Others helping me."

"Who?"

"I won't tell you. But they will crush this government with ease."

"If you tell me, you get full immunity." He told Nereus.

"I won't tell you." Nereus replied.

"Then rot in jail." The man said as he walked off.

Nereus laughed.

His plans would still come to fruition.

Eva looked outside, at the peaceful landscape around the Wei mansion.

She tried to forget that she had taken people's lives. That she had been a soldier. That she had seen people die before her.

But she couldn't easily forget everything that had happened.

"I'm sorry mom." She said, "I know you wouldn't want me to do this. But I had to." She whispered.

She looked to the sky, thinking about Jordan. The Avatar.

"What exactly is happening to our universe, Jordan?"

It didn't matter to her, at the moment, though.

She was happy, and with her father. She had a new friend and ally in Alistair and knew that Aikka was happy with Luna-his betrothed.

Life was good for the time.

That's what mattered.

End


End file.
